CVE-2026-97902

NameCVE-2026-97902
DescriptionIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs: don't return -EINVAL for successful nested thaw Commit 7366f8b6fc6a ("fs: handle freezing from multiple devices") replaced the freeze_holders bitmask with per-holder counters to allow nested freezes. In the bitmask version, a thaw that released a shared hold while another holder remained returned 0. Since the rework, thaw_super_locked() drops the freeze reference via freeze_dec() but then returns -EINVAL when other freezers remain, misinforming the caller: the thaw did succeed, the superblock just stays frozen for the remaining holders. This breaks bdev-initiated freezing. When a filesystem is frozen with FIFREEZE and additionally frozen via bdev_freeze() -- which nests by design, see fs_bdev_freeze() -- the subsequent bdev_thaw() receives -EINVAL from the holder op although its freeze reference was dropped, and therefore keeps bd_fsfreeze_count elevated. Then device-mapper's unlock_fs() ignores bdev_thaw()'s return value, so nothing rebalances the count. After the user's FITHAW and umount, the block device can never be mounted again: dm-1: Can't mount, blockdev is frozen There is no way for userspace to drop the leaked count; only destroying the block device (or a reboot) recovers the device. Reproducer (any kernel since v6.8): dmsetup create dut --table "0 $(blockdev --getsz "$DEV") linear $DEV 0" mkfs.ext4 /dev/mapper/dut mount /dev/mapper/dut /mnt fsfreeze --freeze /mnt # freeze_ucount == 1 dmsetup suspend dut # bd_fsfreeze_count == 1, ucount == 2 dmsetup resume dut # ucount 2 -> 1, but thaw_super() # returns -EINVAL, so bdev_thaw() # keeps bd_fsfreeze_count at 1 fsfreeze --unfreeze /mnt # filesystem thaws fine umount /mnt mount /dev/mapper/dut /mnt # EBUSY, forever The same happens with fsfreeze held across an LVM snapshot of the origin volume. fs_bdev_thaw()'s documentation already describes the intended semantics: "If this function returns zero it doesn't mean that the filesystem is unfrozen as it may have been frozen multiple times". Restore them by returning 0 when a nested thaw drops its hold while other freezers remain. Thawing without holding a freeze still fails with -EINVAL as may_unfreeze() rejects that case before the reference count is touched.
SourceCVE (at NVD; CERT, ENISA, LWN, oss-sec, fulldisc, Debian ELTS, Red Hat, Ubuntu, Gentoo, SUSE bugzilla/CVE, GitHub advisories/code/issues, web search, more)
ReferencesDLA-4817-1, DSA-6528-1

Vulnerable and fixed packages

The table below lists information on source packages.

Source PackageReleaseVersionStatus
linux (PTS)bookworm6.1.176-1fixed
bookworm (security)6.1.187-1fixed
trixie6.12.107-1vulnerable
trixie (security)6.12.111-1fixed
forky7.2.9-1fixed
sid7.2.11-1fixed
linux-6.12 (PTS)bookworm (security)6.12.111-1~deb12u1fixed

The information below is based on the following data on fixed versions.

PackageTypeReleaseFixed VersionUrgencyOriginDebian Bugs
linuxsourcebookworm(not affected)
linuxsourcetrixie6.12.111-1DSA-6528-1
linuxsource(unstable)7.2.7-1
linux-6.12sourcebookworm6.12.111-1~deb12u1DLA-4817-1

Notes

[bookworm] - linux <not-affected> (Vulnerable code not present)
https://git.kernel.org/linus/fe967191e5851ea79818c5fe4e781c3882139218 (7.3-rc3)

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