CVE-2025-71072

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: shmem: fix recovery on rename failures maple_tree insertions can fail if we are seriously short on memory; simple_offset_rename() does not recover well if it runs into that. The same goes for simple_offset_rename_exchange(). Moreover, shmem_whiteout() expects that if it succeeds, the caller will progress to d_move(), i.e. that shmem_rename2() won't fail past the successful call of shmem_whiteout(). Not hard to fix, fortunately - mtree_store() can't fail if the index we are trying to store into is already present in the tree as a singleton. For simple_offset_rename_exchange() that's enough - we just need to be careful about the order of operations. For simple_offset_rename() solution is to preinsert the target into the tree for new_dir; the rest can be done without any potentially failing operations. That preinsertion has to be done in shmem_rename2() rather than in simple_offset_rename() itself - otherwise we'd need to deal with the possibility of failure after successful shmem_whiteout().

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited over the network without logging in. High risk of service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.4% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.

Timeline

1. 2026-01-13 16:16 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-10-21 13:18 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Details

Published

2026-01-13 16:16 UTC

Last modified

2026-10-21 13:18 UTC

Exploit probability

0.4% · EPSS, next 30 days

Record status

Modified

Affected

• Linux Kernel < 6.12.64
• Linux Kernel < 6.18.3
• Linux Kernel 6.6
• Linux Kernel 6.19

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 8.2

Attack vector

Network

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

None

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

None

Integrity

Low

Availability

High