CVE-2026-64158
Received Received - Intake

Linux Kernel Write Streaming Disablement Fix

Vulnerability report for CVE-2026-64158, 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: netfs: Fix write streaming disablement if fd open O_RDWR In netfs_perform_write(), "write streaming" (the caching of dirty data in dirty but !uptodate folios) is performed to avoid the need to read data that is just going to get immediately overwritten. However, this is/will be disabled in three circumstances: if the fd is open O_RDWR, if fscache is in use (as we need to round out the blocks for DIO) or if content encryption is enabled (again for rounding out purposes). The idea behind disabling it if the fd is open O_RDWR is that we'd need to flush the write-streaming page before we could read the data, particularly through mmap. But netfs now fills in the gaps if ->read_folio() is called on the page, so that is unnecessary. Further, this doesn't actually work if a separate fd is open for reading. Fix this by removing the check for O_RDWR, thereby allowing streaming writes even when we might read. This caused a number of problems with the generic/522 xfstest, but those are now fixed.

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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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CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves a flaw in the netfs_perform_write function where write streaming (caching dirty data) was incorrectly disabled when a file descriptor was open with O_RDWR. The fix removes this unnecessary check, allowing streaming writes even when reading might occur, improving performance and fixing related test failures.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel and does not have network-based detection methods. To detect it, check your kernel version and verify if it includes the fix for CVE-2026-64158. Use the command: uname -r to check the kernel version. If your kernel version is below the patched version, the vulnerability may be present.

Impact Analysis

The vulnerability could lead to performance issues in file operations, particularly when writing to files opened with O_RDWR. It may cause unnecessary data reads before writes, reducing efficiency. Systems relying on netfs for file operations could experience slower performance or unexpected behavior.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability does not directly affect compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, or similar standards. It is a Linux kernel issue related to write streaming in file operations, which does not involve data privacy, security controls, or regulatory compliance requirements.

Mitigation Strategies

Immediately update your Linux kernel to a version that includes the fix for CVE-2026-64158. This can typically be done through your distribution's package manager, such as 'sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade' for Debian-based systems or 'sudo yum update' for RHEL-based systems. After updating, reboot the system to ensure the new kernel is active.

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