Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ext4: guard against EA inode refcount underflow in xattr update
syzkaller found a path where ext4_xattr_inode_update_ref() reads an EA
inode refcount that is already <= 0 and then applies ref_change (often
-1). That lets the refcount underflow and we proceed with a bogus value,
triggering errors like:
EXT4-fs error: EA inode <n> ref underflow: ref_count=-1 ref_change=-1
EXT4-fs warning: ea_inode dec ref err=-117
Make the invariant explicit: if the current refcount is non-positive,
treat this as on-disk corruption, emit ext4_error_inode(), and fail the
operation with -EFSCORRUPTED instead of updating the refcount. Delete the
WARN_ONCE() as negative refcounts are now impossible; keep error reporting
in ext4_error_inode().
This prevents the underflow and the follow-on orphan/cleanup churn.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | < 5.4.301, < 5.10.246, < 5.15.195, < 6.1.157, < 6.6.113, < 6.12.54, < 6.17.4 | 5.4.301 |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | linux | 6.17.6-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 6.12.57-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 6.1.158-1 | — |
| Debian 11 | linux | 5.10.247-1 | DLA-4404-1 |
| Debian 11 | linux-6.1 | 6.1.158-1~deb11u1 | DLA-4379-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Nvidia-BlueField 24.04 LTS | linux-bluefield | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Nvidia-BlueField 22.04 LTS | linux-bluefield | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.10 | linux +8 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux +14 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | linux +8 | No fix yet | — |
Show 20 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux +52 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux +59 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +28 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS | linux-realtime +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS | linux-realtime +2 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS 20.04 LTS | linux-fips +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS 18.04 LTS | linux-fips +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS 16.04 LTS | linux-fips | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS | linux-fips +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 22.04 LTS | linux-fips +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 20.04 LTS | linux-fips +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 18.04 LTS | linux-fips +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 16.04 LTS | linux-fips | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-preview 22.04 LTS | linux-fips +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | linux +21 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 18.04 LTS | linux +12 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS | linux +7 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS | linux +3 | No fix yet | — |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP7 | kernel-64kb +6 | 6.4.0-150700.53.28.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:0315-1 |
| SLES 15 SP7 | kernel-azure +2 | 6.4.0-150700.20.24.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:0281-1 |
| SLES 15 SP7 | kernel-default-base | 6.4.0-150700.53.28.1.150700.17.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:0315-1 |
Show 7 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 16.0 | kernel-64kb +8 | 6.12.0-160000.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:20220-1 |
| SLES for SAP 16.0 | kernel-default-base | 6.12.0-160000.9.1.160000.2.6 | SUSE-SU-2026:20220-1 |
| SLES 16.0 | kernel-64kb +8 | 6.12.0-160000.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:20228-1, SUSE-SU-2026:20220-1 |
| SLES 16.0 | kernel-default-base | 6.12.0-160000.9.1.160000.2.6 | SUSE-SU-2026:20220-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.2 | kernel-default-base | 6.12.0-160000.9.1.160000.2.6 | SUSE-SU-2026:20207-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.2 | kernel-rt +5 | 6.12.0-160000.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:20564-1, SUSE-SU-2026:20207-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.1 | kernel-default-base | 6.4.0-39.1.21.16 | SUSE-SU-2026:20498-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.1 | kernel-rt +1 | 6.4.0-40.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:20876-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.1 | kernel-source +2 | 6.4.0-39.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:20498-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.0 | kernel-default-base | 6.4.0-39.1.21.16 | SUSE-SU-2026:20477-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.0 | kernel-rt +1 | 6.4.0-40.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:20845-1 |
| SLE Micro 6.0 | kernel-source +2 | 6.4.0-39.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:20477-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP7 | kernel-default | 6.4.0-150700.53.28.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:0315-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP7 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7-RT_Update_8 | 1-150700.1.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:0278-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP7 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7_Update_8 | 1-150700.15.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:0315-1 |
| SUSE Real Time Module 15 SP7 | kernel-rt +2 | 6.4.0-150700.7.28.1 | SUSE-SU-2026:0278-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Leap 16.0 | kernel-default-base | 6.12.0-160000.9.1.160000.2.6 | openSUSE-SU-2026:20145-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 16.0 | kernel-rt +11 | 6.12.0-160000.9.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:20145-1 |
Amazon Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux 2023 | kernel-livepatch-6.12.55-74.119 +1 | 1:1.0-0.amzn2023 | ALAS2023-2025-1316, ALAS2023-2025-1297 |
| Amazon Linux 2023 | perf +14 | 1:6.1.158-178.288.amzn2023 | ALAS2023-2025-1297 |
| Amazon Linux 2023 | perf6.12 +14 | 1:6.12.55-74.119.amzn2023 | ALAS2023-2025-1316 |
Azure Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure Linux 3 | kernel | 6.6.117.1-1 | — |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 8 | bpftool +18 | 5.15.0-315.196.5.1.el9uek | ELSA-2025-28048 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | kernel-uek +6 | 5.4.17-2136.350.3.1.el8uek | ELSA-2025-28049 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | kernel-uek-tools | 5.4.17-2136.350.3.1.el7uek | ELSA-2025-28049 |
Advisories 19
- WID-SEC-2025-2595 Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Sep 24, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:20564-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jul 9, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:20876-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 31, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:20845-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 28, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:20145-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 23, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:20498-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 23, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:20477-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 23, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:20228-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 23, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:20220-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 23, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:20207-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 23, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:0281-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 23, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:0278-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 23, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2026:0315-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 23, 2026
- ALAS2023-2025-1297 Important: kernel security update (Amazon Linux 2023) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Feb 8, 2026
- ALAS2023-2025-1316 Important: kernel6.12 security update (Amazon Linux 2023) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Dec 19, 2025
- DLA-4404-1 linux - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Dec 12, 2025
- ELSA-2025-28048 Important: Unbreakable Enterprise kernel security update (Oracle Linux 8) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Dec 12, 2025
- ELSA-2025-28049 Important: Unbreakable Enterprise kernel security update (Oracle Linux 7) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Dec 12, 2025
- DLA-4379-1 linux-6.1 - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Nov 25, 2025
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ea39e712c2f5ae148ee5515798ae03523673e002
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1cfb3e4ddbdc8e02e637b8852540bd4718bf4814
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/505e69f76ac497e788f4ea0267826ec7266b40c8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3d6269028246f4484bfed403c947a114bb583631
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/79ea7f3e11effe1bd9e753172981d9029133a278
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6b879c4c6bbaab03c0ad2a983953bd1410bb165e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/440b003f449a4ff2a00b08c8eab9ba5cd28f3943
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/57295e835408d8d425bef58da5253465db3d6888