CVE-2026-107565 in Red Hat
Summary
by MITRE • 10/08/2026
A flaw was found in luksmeta. A local attacker with administrative privileges can cause data corruption when saving metadata to a Linux Unified Key Setup (LUKS) device. Due to incorrect boundary calculations and flawed overlap detection, new metadata entries can be written beyond available free space or over existing records. This issue can corrupt stored encrypted payload data or existing metadata, potentially rendering the affected data inaccessible.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2026
The vulnerability identified in luksmeta represents a critical integrity failure within the Linux Unified Key Setup (LUKS) ecosystem, specifically affecting the management of LUKS metadata extensions. While LUKS itself provides robust encryption for block devices, luksmeta serves as an auxiliary tool designed to store additional keyslots and configuration data outside the primary header area defined by the standard. This separation is intended to allow for more flexible key management without altering the core encrypted volume structure. However, the flaw lies in the fundamental logic governing how these metadata entries are written to disk. The software fails to perform accurate boundary calculations when determining where new metadata should be placed on the storage medium. Furthermore, it lacks robust overlap detection mechanisms that would prevent writing operations from encroaching upon regions already occupied by other critical data structures or existing metadata records.
From a technical perspective, this defect classifies as an out-of-bounds write vulnerability, which aligns with CWE-787: Out-of-Bounds Write in the Common Weakness Enumeration database. The root cause is attributed to insufficient validation of memory offsets and disk sector addresses during the save operation. When an administrative user initiates a command to store metadata, the application calculates the target location based on flawed arithmetic that does not account for all existing allocations or free space boundaries correctly. Consequently, instead of placing the new data in a safe, unused partition of the device, the write operation spills over into adjacent sectors. This spillage can overwrite either other pending metadata entries or, more severely, the encrypted payload data itself. The lack of overlap detection means that even if there is some free space available elsewhere on the disk, the tool may still attempt to write in a conflicting location because it fails to recognize existing reservations or allocations in those specific sectors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for irreversible data loss and system instability. Since LUKS devices are often used to store sensitive information such as operating systems, databases, or personal files, the corruption of encrypted payload data renders that data inaccessible without a backup. Unlike simple file deletion, encryption errors caused by overwriting critical sectors can corrupt the cryptographic headers or data blocks in ways that make recovery impossible even with advanced forensic tools. Additionally, if existing metadata is overwritten, it may lead to inconsistencies in keyslot management, potentially locking users out of their own encrypted volumes if essential configuration bits are altered or destroyed. This creates a significant risk for system administrators who rely on luksmeta for managing multiple encryption keys across various devices.
It is important to note that this vulnerability requires local access with administrative privileges to exploit. An attacker must already have control over the host machine and sufficient permissions to invoke luksmeta commands against target LUKS devices. This constraint places the threat within the context of insider threats or compromised root accounts rather than remote exploitation scenarios. In terms of cyber attack frameworks, this aligns with MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to Data Destruction or Impact via storage corruption, specifically falling under categories that involve modifying system configurations or data integrity violations by privileged users. The attacker would typically need to execute specific commands to trigger the metadata save operation, making detection possible through audit logs if proper logging is enabled on the host system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on software updates and operational controls. Users should immediately apply patches provided by their distribution vendors that address the boundary calculation logic in luksmeta. Until such patches are available, administrators should exercise extreme caution when using luksmeta to modify metadata on critical volumes. It is advisable to maintain verified backups of all encrypted data before performing any metadata operations. Furthermore, implementing strict access controls and monitoring for unusual administrative activities involving disk utilities can help detect potential abuse attempts. Organizations relying heavily on LUKS encryption should also consider reviewing their key management practices to ensure that reliance on auxiliary tools like luksmeta does not introduce single points of failure in their security architecture. Regular integrity checks using checksums or hash verification on metadata files can also aid in early detection of any unauthorized modifications before they lead to catastrophic data corruption.