CVE-2026-98118

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfs: Fix readahead synchronisation issues by loading all folios upfront There are some synchronisation issues that derive from the app thread adding more folios to the rolling buffer whilst the collector thread is looking at them or trying to clear them, such as determining the setting of front_folio_order when the next folio hasn't been added yet, The reason for the rolling buffer approach is that loading the buffer upfront and then dropping all the refs just acquired is quite a slow operation, and loading progressively allows some of the cost to be deferred until after at least some of the I/O is started. Instead, a better way is to load all the folios into the rolling buffer upfront - and then drop the refs later, once the I/O is in progress. (Even better would be for the refs not to be there at all.) Fix this by changing the rolling buffer loader to load all the folios selected by the VM for readahead upfront into the folio queue. The folio queue is allocated a batch worth at a time as we don't know how many folios are involved (the readahead_control struct, alas, has a page count, not a folio count). The folio refs acquired from readahead are then dropped in bulk once the first subrequest is dispatched as it's quite a slow operation. The collector waits for NETFS_RREQ_NEED_PUT_RA_REFS to be cleared so that it doesn't unlock folios before the xarray has been scanned for them. This simplifies the buffer handling later and isn't noticeably slower as the xarray doesn't need to be modified and the folios are all already pre-locked.

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited locally on the machine with a low-privilege account. High risk of data exposure, service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.1% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

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

Timeline

1. 2026-09-25 11:17 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-10-28 16:00 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.1% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 7.1 HIGH (CVSS).
• Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.

Details

Published

2026-09-25 11:17 UTC

Last modified

2026-10-28 16:00 UTC

Exploit probability

0.1% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-362 · Race condition

Record status

Analyzed

Affected

• Linux Kernel < 7.2.7
• Linux Kernel 7.3

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 7.1

Attack vector

Local

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

Low

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

None

Availability

High

Is it in your code?

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