CVE-2026-31597
Published: April 24, 2026· Updated: Apr 29, 2026
Official Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ocfs2: fix use-after-free in ocfs2_fault() when VM_FAULT_RETRY
filemap_fault() may drop the mmap_lock before returning VM_FAULT_RETRY,
as documented in mm/filemap.c:
"If our return value has VM_FAULT_RETRY set, it's because the mmap_lock
may be dropped before doing I/O or by lock_folio_maybe_drop_mmap()."
When this happens, a concurrent munmap() can call remove_vma() and free
the vm_area_struct via RCU. The saved 'vma' pointer in ocfs2_fault() then
becomes a dangling pointer, and the subsequent trace_ocfs2_fault() call
dereferences it -- a use-after-free.
Fix this by saving ip_blkno as a plain integer before calling
filemap_fault(), and removing vma from the trace event. Since
ip_blkno is copied by value before the lock can be dropped, it
remains valid regardless of what happens to the vma or inode
afterward.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-31597 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.8.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (6)
Quick Facts
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2026-31597 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts