CVE-2026-43288 — ext4: move ext4_percpu_param_init() before ext4_mb_init()
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: move ext4_percpu_param_init() before ext4_mb_init() When running `kvm-xfstests -c ext4/1k -C 1 generic/383` with the `DOUBLE_CHECK` macro defined, the following panic is triggered: ================================================================== EXT4-fs error (device vdc): ext4_validate_block_bitmap:423: comm mount: bg 0: bad block bitmap checksum BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: ff110000fa2cc000 PGD 3e01067 P4D 3e02067 PUD 0 Oops: Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP NOPTI CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 2386 Comm: mount Tainted: G W 6.18.0-gba65a4e7120a-dirty #1152 PREEMPT(none) RIP: 0010:percpu_counter_add_batch+0x13/0xa0 Call Trace: <TASK> ext4_mark_group_bitmap_corrupted+0xcb/0xe0 ext4_validate_block_bitmap+0x2a1/0x2f0 ext4_read_block_bitmap+0x33/0x50 mb_group_bb_bitmap_alloc+0x33/0x80 ext4_mb_add_groupinfo+0x190/0x250 ext4_mb_init_backend+0x87/0x290 ext4_mb_init+0x456/0x640 __ext4_fill_super+0x1072/0x1680 ext4_fill_super+0xd3/0x280 get_tree_bdev_flags+0x132/0x1d0 vfs_get_tree+0x29/0xd0 vfs_cmd_create+0x59/0xe0 __do_sys_fsconfig+0x4f6/0x6b0 do_syscall_64+0x50/0x1f0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e ================================================================== This issue can be reproduced using the following commands: mkfs.ext4 -F -q -b 1024 /dev/sda 5G tune2fs -O quota,project /dev/sda mount /dev/sda /tmp/test With DOUBLE_CHECK defined, mb_group_bb_bitmap_alloc() reads and validates the block bitmap. When the validation fails, ext4_mark_group_bitmap_corrupted() attempts to update sbi->s_freeclusters_counter. However, this percpu_counter has not been initialized yet at this point, which leads to the panic described above. Fix this by moving the execution of ext4_percpu_param_init() to occur before ext4_mb_init(), ensuring the per-CPU counters are initialized before they are used.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+1
- Technical severity (medium)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | version 3.17≥ d5e03cbb0c88cd1be39f2adc37d602230045964b and < 270564513489d98b721a1e4a10017978d5213bff≥ d5e03cbb0c88cd1be39f2adc37d602230045964b and < aec095f3cc6cf209effd93278ce35be27db81d73≥ d5e03cbb0c88cd1be39f2adc37d602230045964b and < bf5b609524497c195f801cd5707252384aed8149≥ d5e03cbb0c88cd1be39f2adc37d602230045964b and < 9e9fb259bcddf459a0168f4a964e979e500a68a5≥ d5e03cbb0c88cd1be39f2adc37d602230045964b and < 0d5fcb063cdabb9aeaa8554b7fedad2092c4150e≥ d5e03cbb0c88cd1be39f2adc37d602230045964b and < 0b3d80c56957862ba477ca0ce30c12cad9179c2b | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel |
version 7.0-rc6version 7.0-rc7≥ 3.17 and < 6.6.128version 7.0-rc5version 7.0-rc4version 7.0-rc3version 7.0-rc2version 7.0-rc1 and 3 more≥ 6.19 and < 6.19.6≥ 6.13 and < 6.18.16≥ 6.7 and < 6.12.75 |
Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 1.8 | 3.6 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.17%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 5.5
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
6 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/270564513489d98b721a1e4a10017978d5213bff
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/aec095f3cc6cf209effd93278ce35be27db81d73
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0d5fcb063cdabb9aeaa8554b7fedad2092c4150e
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9e9fb259bcddf459a0168f4a964e979e500a68a5
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/bf5b609524497c195f801cd5707252384aed8149
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0b3d80c56957862ba477ca0ce30c12cad9179c2b
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 9h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 9h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98431 RDMA/uverbs: Fix mmap_lock/disassociation_lock circular dependency 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98430 RDMA/efa: Keep admin queues alive while IRQ is registered 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98429 RDMA/efa: Keep EQ resources alive while IRQ is registered 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98428 ALSA: usb: 6fire: Avoid embedded URBs 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-43288 is "ext4: move ext4_percpu_param_init() before ext4_mb_init()", rated Medium. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.17% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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