Bug 2460683 (CVE-2026-31437) - CVE-2026-31437 kernel: netfs: Fix NULL pointer dereference in netfs_unbuffered_write() on retry
Summary: CVE-2026-31437 kernel: netfs: Fix NULL pointer dereference in netfs_unbuffere...
Keywords:
Status: NEW
Alias: CVE-2026-31437
Product: Security Response
Classification: Other
Component: vulnerability
Version: unspecified
Hardware: All
OS: Linux
medium
medium
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Product Security
QA Contact:
URL:
Whiteboard:
Depends On:
Blocks:
TreeView+ depends on / blocked
 
Reported: 2026-04-22 15:05 UTC by OSIDB Bzimport
Modified: 2026-04-22 17:00 UTC (History)
0 users

Fixed In Version:
Clone Of:
Environment:
Last Closed:
Embargoed:


Attachments (Terms of Use)

Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-04-22 15:05:13 UTC
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

netfs: Fix NULL pointer dereference in netfs_unbuffered_write() on retry

When a write subrequest is marked NETFS_SREQ_NEED_RETRY, the retry path
in netfs_unbuffered_write() unconditionally calls stream->prepare_write()
without checking if it is NULL.

Filesystems such as 9P do not set the prepare_write operation, so
stream->prepare_write remains NULL. When get_user_pages() fails with
-EFAULT and the subrequest is flagged for retry, this results in a NULL
pointer dereference at fs/netfs/direct_write.c:189.

Fix this by mirroring the pattern already used in write_retry.c: if
stream->prepare_write is NULL, skip renegotiation and directly reissue
the subrequest via netfs_reissue_write(), which handles iterator reset,
IN_PROGRESS flag, stats update and reissue internally.


Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.