CVE-2026-89670 — nfsd: hold rcu across localio cmpxchg retry
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfsd: hold rcu across localio cmpxchg retry nfsd_file objects are freed via call_rcu (filecache.c:296), and nfsd_file_slab is created without SLAB_TYPESAFE_BY_RCU (KMEM_CACHE(nfsd_file, 0) at filecache.c:789), so the slab page backing a freed nfsd_file becomes freely reclaimable once the RCU grace period elapses. The again: retry block in nfsd_open_local_fh() loads a pointer with cmpxchg and then calls nfsd_file_get(new) (which is refcount_inc_not_zero) without holding rcu_read_lock. The sole caller nfs_open_local_fh() drops rcu_read_lock before invoking this helper, so no outer reader-side critical section covers the load. CPU 0 (nfsd_open_local_fh) CPU 1 (nfsd_file_put_local) ----- ----- new = cmpxchg(pnf, NULL, ...) nf = xchg(pnf, NULL) nfsd_file_put(nf) last ref -> call_rcu() /* grace period elapses; slab page recycled */ nfsd_file_get(new) refcount_inc_not_zero(&new->nf_ref) /* operates on recycled memory */ A non-zero word at the nf_ref offset of the recycled object makes the refcount bump appear to succeed, and the caller then dereferences new->nf_net and new->nf_file out of freed memory. Fix by taking rcu_read_lock() immediately before the cmpxchg and releasing it on all three exits of the if (new) block: the goto-again retry, the lost-race cleanup path, and the install-succeeded path. nfsd_file_put() and nfsd_net_put() stay outside the RCU section so they remain free to block.
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 (high)+6
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.
No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.
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).
- No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | ≥ e6f7e1487ab528a6c653bd0d42812ff2942846cd and < 763c0bad872368304db718f79af7e93048885c67≥ e6f7e1487ab528a6c653bd0d42812ff2942846cd and < 559570f91a7d4d199a72105e4980bef791f4cbf1≥ e6f7e1487ab528a6c653bd0d42812ff2942846cd and < 58884694978a3d7d111edb433d7fd6a6c5af2f34version 986a21ace186433e0397a59491646edad8c8d636≥ 6.15.3 and < 6.16version 6.16 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67) 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.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- CVSS changed · 7.8
- Source status changed · → Received
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
References
3 on the record
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98427 net/sched: codel: bound the dropping loop per dequeue call 2d
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 fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No CWE classification.
- 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-2026-89670 is "nfsd: hold rcu across localio cmpxchg retry", rated High. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.8 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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