CVE-2026-64057
Received Received - Intake

Race Condition in Linux Kernel AFS Filesystem

Vulnerability report for CVE-2026-64057, including description, CVSS score, EPSS score, affected products, exploitability, helpful resources, and attack-flow context.

Publication date: 2026-07-19

Last updated on: 2026-07-19

Assigner: kernel.org

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: afs: Fix the locking used by afs_get_link() The afs filesystem in the kernel doesn't do locking correctly for symbolic links. There are a number of problems: (1) It doesn't do any locking around afs_read_single() to prevent races between multiple ->get_link() calls, thereby allowing the possibility of leaks. (2) It doesn't use RCU barriering when accessing the buffer pointers during RCU pathwalk. (3) It can race with another thread updating the contents of the symlink if a third party updated it on the server. Fix this by the following means: (0) Move symlink handling into its own file as this makes it more complicated. (1) Take the validate_lock around afs_read_single() to prevent races between multiple ->get_link() calls. (2) Keep a separate copy of the symlink contents with an rcu_head. This is always going to be a lot smaller than a page, so it can be kmalloc'd and save quite a bit of memory. It also needs a refcount for non-RCU pathwalk. (3) Split the symlink read and write-to-cache routines in afs from those for directories. (4) Discard the I/O buffer as soon as the write-to-cache completes as this is a full page (plus a folio_queue). (5) If there's no cache, discard the I/O buffer immediately after reading and copying if there is no cache.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-07-19
Last Modified
2026-07-19
Generated
2026-07-20
AI Q&A
2026-07-19
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
EUVD

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability is in the Linux kernel's AFS filesystem. It involves incorrect locking for symbolic links, which can lead to memory leaks and race conditions. The issue arises when multiple processes access the same symbolic link simultaneously without proper synchronization.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's AFS filesystem implementation and does not have a direct network-based detection method. To detect it, check if your system is running a vulnerable kernel version and if the AFS filesystem is enabled. Use commands like 'uname -a' to check the kernel version and 'lsmod | grep afs' to verify if the AFS module is loaded.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability could allow an attacker to cause a denial of service by triggering memory leaks or corrupting data through race conditions. It may also lead to system instability or crashes if exploited.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability affects the Linux kernel's AFS filesystem, specifically related to improper locking in symbolic link handling. It could lead to race conditions and potential data leaks, which may impact compliance with standards requiring data integrity and secure access controls, such as GDPR and HIPAA. However, the provided context does not detail specific compliance impacts or regulatory violations.

Mitigation Strategies

Update your Linux kernel to the latest stable version that includes the fix for this vulnerability. If you are using a distribution with a supported kernel, apply the latest security patches. Disable the AFS filesystem if it is not required by your system to reduce attack surface.

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