CVE-2026-46046
kernel: ext4: fix missing brelse() in ext4_xattr_inode_dec_ref_all()
Severity
LowRed Hat Product Security
CVSS 3.1
Review impact separately from score.
Published · May 27, 2026
Updated · June 28, 2026
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's ext4 filesystem. A reference count (refcount) leak occurs in the ext4_xattr_inode_dec_ref_all() function. This issue arises because the iloc.bh buffer head, acquired by ext4_get_inode_loc(), is not properly released with brelse(). This can lead to resource exhaustion or system instability over time.
CVSS score applicability
The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.
Mitigation
No mitigation is specified in collected source.
CVSS / CWE
CVSS 3.1 · 5.5CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CWE-911 · Improper Update of Reference Count