CVE-2026-74362
Received Received - Intake

ext2 Filesystem Write Sync Error Handling Flaw

Publication date: 2026-08-15

Last updated on: 2026-08-15

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext2: fix ignored return value of generic_write_sync() Fix ext2_dio_write_iter() to propagate the error returned by generic_write_sync() instead of silently discarding it, which could cause write(2) to return success to userspace on O_SYNC/O_DSYNC files even when the sync failed. The correct pattern, already used in ext2_dax_write_iter() in the same file and in ext4, xfs, f2fs among others, is: if (ret > 0) ret = generic_write_sync(iocb, ret); Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with SVACE. [JK: Reflect also filemap_write_and_wait() return value]

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-15
Last Modified
2026-08-15
Generated
2026-08-15
AI Q&A
2026-08-15
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-74362
EUVD
EUVD-2026-59509

Affected Vendors & Products

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

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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 ext2 file system's write operation handling. When writing data with O_SYNC or O_DSYNC flags, the system may incorrectly report success even if the sync operation failed, potentially leading to data loss or corruption.

Detection Guidance

This vulnerability is specific to the Linux kernel's ext2 filesystem and may not have direct network detection methods. Check kernel logs for write errors or failed sync operations on ext2 filesystems. Use commands like dmesg | grep ext2 or journalctl -k | grep ext2 to inspect kernel messages for related errors.

Impact Analysis

If exploited, this vulnerability could cause applications to believe data was successfully written to disk when it was not, leading to data inconsistency or loss. Users relying on O_SYNC/O_DSYNC for critical writes may experience silent failures.

Mitigation Strategies

Update your Linux kernel to the latest patched version to resolve this issue. Avoid using O_SYNC or O_DSYNC flags on ext2 filesystems until patched. Monitor filesystem operations for unexpected write failures.

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