CVE-2026-64040
kernel: cachefiles: Fix error return when vfs_mkdir() fails
Severity
LowRed Hat Product Security
CVSS 3.1
Review impact separately from score.
Published · July 19, 2026
Updated · October 7, 2026
Description
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's cachefiles subsystem. When the vfs_mkdir() function fails, the system does not correctly extract the error code from the returned error pointer. This improper handling can lead to a null pointer being returned instead of a valid error, potentially causing a system crash and resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS).
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-476 · NULL Pointer Dereference