CVE-2026-98924 — fs: avoid repeated scans in evict_inodes()
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs: avoid repeated scans in evict_inodes() We observed hung tasks when users attempted to unmount a filesystem after its disk had been removed while still in use. During device removal, fs_bdev_mark_dead() calls evict_inodes() while holding s_umount. Each time evict_inodes() drops s_inode_list_lock to reschedule, it restarts the walk from the head of s_inodes. With many referenced inodes at the head of the list, these restarts repeatedly scan the same inodes without reclaiming them. This can keep s_umount held for a long time, blocking concurrent umount attempts and triggering hung-task reports. Keep the current inode, already marked I_FREEING, out of the disposal batch until s_inode_list_lock is reacquired. Resume the walk from this inode and dispose of it in a later batch or at the end of the walk. The zero-refcount and state checks under i_lock allow this walker to claim the inode by setting I_FREEING and removing it from the LRU. Other reclaimers skip the inode, leaving this walker responsible for eviction. Only evict() removes it from s_inodes, so keeping it out of the disposal batch ensures that it remains on the list while the lock is dropped. After reacquiring the lock, reading its current next pointer accounts for concurrent removal of following inodes. The existing inode lifetime rules prohibit acquiring a reference to an inode marked I_FREEING or I_WILL_FREE. __iget() requires its caller to hold i_lock and establish that taking a reference is valid. Inode lookup and igrab() check these flags under i_lock when acquiring a reference from zero. ihold() requires an existing reference, which would keep i_count nonzero and prevent this walker from claiming the inode. These rules already allow iput_final() and the inode shrinker to release i_lock after setting I_FREEING and before eviction completes. A temporary __iget() reference would also keep the inode on the list, but its release must preserve last-reference handling. Another user can acquire a reference, update lazy timestamps and drop its reference while the pin is held. If the pin becomes the last reference, dropping it with atomic_dec_and_test() and evicting directly bypasses iput()'s lazytime handling and can lose those timestamp updates. Releasing the pin with iput() preserves that handling, but does not guarantee eviction. fs_bdev_mark_dead() runs with SB_ACTIVE set, so iput() may retain the inode in cache, whereas evict_inodes() must evict eligible zero-reference inodes. The inode may also have been freed when iput() returns, so the walker cannot then use it to force eviction. Using I_FREEING preserves the existing eviction behavior without introducing an additional last-reference transition. The xfstests auto group passed on ext4 and XFS with known unrelated failures excluded. No new issues were observed, and the previously reproducible hung task no longer occurs with this patch.
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
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 | ≥ ac05fbb40062411ea1b722aa2cede7feaa94f1b4 and < e4f3e476cd4066a815ef68cd6caa1828b9c167d5≥ ac05fbb40062411ea1b722aa2cede7feaa94f1b4 and < 3cdc6e12ff79f0f8a3ba62d7e61474ae4b5e119a≥ ac05fbb40062411ea1b722aa2cede7feaa94f1b4 and < 7459c021874246c196f397686e100702f059b9e7version 4.3 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 24, 2026 → Oct 30, 2026 · 7 reading(s) · max 0.22%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Not enough vector or weakness data: use the affected application’s logs as a starting point.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Record published
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Source status changed · → Received
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× References added · Oct 23, 2026 – Oct 23, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 23, 2026 – Oct 23, 2026
References
3 on the record
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Unknown CVE-2026-99216 Drivers: hv: Don't reset VMBus connection state on error/exit paths 3d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99215 power: supply: core: prevent unregistering a power supply while a callback runs 3d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99207 scsi: target: Disable interrupts while holding delayed_cmd_lock 3d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99208 drm/xe/oa: Zero OA buffer at allocation 3d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99209 drm/xe: skip eviction of a BO with no resource 3d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99210 accel/rocket: clear rdev on device init failure 3d
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 CVSS score published by NVD, the CNA, CISA or GitHub so far.
- 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-2026-98924 is "fs: avoid repeated scans in evict_inodes()", rated Unknown. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. EPSS 0.19% 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.
Comments
Moderated technical discussion. Read the community guidelines.
No comments yet.
Sign in or create an account to comment and suggest corrections.