Linux Kernel up to 6.6.139/6.12.85/6.18.26/7.0.3 d_add infinite loop

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6.0$0-$5k0.91

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.139/6.12.85/6.18.26/7.0.3. This vulnerability affects the function d_add. The manipulation leads to infinite loop. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2026-46052. There is not any exploit available. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.139/6.12.85/6.18.26/7.0.3. It has been rated as critical. This issue affects the function d_add. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a infinite loop vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-835. The product contains an iteration or loop with an exit condition that cannot be reached, i.e., an infinite loop. Impacted is availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ceph: only d_add() negative dentries when they are unhashed Ceph can call d_add(dentry, NULL) on a negative dentry that is already present in the primary dcache hash. In the current VFS that is not safe. d_add() goes through __d_add() to __d_rehash(), which unconditionally reinserts dentry->d_hash into the hlist_bl bucket. If the dentry is already hashed, reinserting the same node can corrupt the bucket, including creating a self-loop. Once that happens, __d_lookup() can spin forever in the hlist_bl walk, typically looping only on the d_name.hash mismatch check and eventually triggering RCU stall reports like this one: rcu: INFO: rcu_sched self-detected stall on CPU rcu: 87-....: (2100 ticks this GP) idle=3a4c/1/0x4000000000000000 softirq=25003319/25003319 fqs=829 rcu: (t=2101 jiffies g=79058445 q=698988 ncpus=192) CPU: 87 UID: 2952868916 PID: 3933303 Comm: php-cgi8.3 Not tainted 6.18.17-i1-amd #950 NONE Hardware name: Dell Inc. PowerEdge R7615/0G9DHV, BIOS 1.6.6 09/22/2023 RIP: 0010:__d_lookup+0x46/0xb0 Code: c1 e8 07 48 8d 04 c2 48 8b 00 49 89 fc 49 89 f5 48 89 c3 48 83 e3 fe 48 83 f8 01 77 0f eb 2d 0f 1f 44 00 00 48 8b 1b 48 85 db <74> 20 39 6b 18 75 f3 48 8d 7b 78 e8 ba 85 d0 00 4c 39 63 10 74 1f RSP: 0018:ff745a70c8253898 EFLAGS: 00000282 RAX: ff26e470054cb208 RBX: ff26e470054cb208 RCX: 000000006e958966 RDX: ff26e48267340000 RSI: ff745a70c82539b0 RDI: ff26e458f74655c0 RBP: 000000006e958966 R08: 0000000000000180 R09: 9cd08d909b919a89 R10: ff26e458f74655c0 R11: 0000000000000000 R12: ff26e458f74655c0 R13: ff745a70c82539b0 R14: d0d0d0d0d0d0d0d0 R15: 2f2f2f2f2f2f2f2f FS: 00007f5770896980(0000) GS:ff26e482c5d88000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 00007f5764de50c0 CR3: 000000a72abb5001 CR4: 0000000000771ef0 PKRU: 55555554 Call Trace: <TASK> lookup_fast+0x9f/0x100 walk_component+0x1f/0x150 link_path_walk+0x20e/0x3d0 path_lookupat+0x68/0x180 filename_lookup+0xdc/0x1e0 vfs_statx+0x6c/0x140 vfs_fstatat+0x67/0xa0 __do_sys_newfstatat+0x24/0x60 do_syscall_64+0x6a/0x230 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e This is reachable with reused cached negative dentries. A Ceph lookup or atomic_open can be handed a negative dentry that is already hashed, and fs/ceph/dir.c then hits one of two paths that incorrectly assume "negative" also means "unhashed": - ceph_finish_lookup(): MDS reply is -ENOENT with no trace -> d_add(dentry, NULL) - ceph_lookup(): local ENOENT fast path for a complete directory with shared caps -> d_add(dentry, NULL) Both paths can therefore re-add an already-hashed negative dentry. Ceph already uses the correct pattern elsewhere: ceph_fill_trace() only calls d_add(dn, NULL) for a negative null-dentry reply when d_unhashed(dn) is true. Fix both fs/ceph/dir.c sites the same way: only call d_add() for a negative dentry when it is actually unhashed. If the negative dentry is already hashed, leave it in place and reuse it as-is. This preserves the existing behavior for unhashed dentries while avoiding d_hash list corruption for reused hashed negatives.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2026-46052 since 05/13/2026. The exploitation is known to be difficult. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 327380 (Amazon Linux 2023 : bpftool, kernel, kernel-devel (ALAS2023-2026-1924)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.6.140, 6.12.86, 6.18.27, 7.0.4 or 7.1-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 83ce43a21bb7df8dd52228afdd918d2d058eefde/4179cc390dacebc87079419ec92f86f3dc46294d/b91e535f208c48a5e7464f1aa38338a30e7912df/2010cb06b9df7d3c816c78358c566bdacbdf38ff/803447f93d75ab6e40c85e6d12b5630d281d70d6 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at Tenable (327380). Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 6.1
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.0

VulDB Base Score: 4.8
VulDB Temp Score: 4.6
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CNA Base Score: 7.5
CNA Vector (Linux): 🔒

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Infinite loop
CWE: CWE-835 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Nessus ID: 327380
Nessus Name: Amazon Linux 2023 : bpftool, kernel, kernel-devel (ALAS2023-2026-1924)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.6.140/6.12.86/6.18.27/7.0.4/7.1-rc1
Patch: 83ce43a21bb7df8dd52228afdd918d2d058eefde/4179cc390dacebc87079419ec92f86f3dc46294d/b91e535f208c48a5e7464f1aa38338a30e7912df/2010cb06b9df7d3c816c78358c566bdacbdf38ff/803447f93d75ab6e40c85e6d12b5630d281d70d6

Timelineinfo

05/13/2026 CVE reserved
05/27/2026 +14 days Advisory disclosed
05/27/2026 +0 days VulDB entry created
07/18/2026 +52 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2026-46052 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2026-46052
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-366281

Entryinfo

Created: 05/27/2026 17:28
Updated: 07/18/2026 17:09
Changes: 05/27/2026 17:28 (58), 06/17/2026 04:59 (12), 07/18/2026 17:09 (2)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

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