Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
md: fix array_state=clear sysfs deadlock
When "clear" is written to array_state, md_attr_store() breaks sysfs
active protection so the array can delete itself from its own sysfs
store method.
However, md_attr_store() currently drops the mddev reference before
calling sysfs_unbreak_active_protection(). Once do_md_stop(..., 0)
has made the mddev eligible for delayed deletion, the temporary
kobject reference taken by sysfs_break_active_protection() can become
the last kobject reference protecting the md kobject.
That allows sysfs_unbreak_active_protection() to drop the last
kobject reference from the current sysfs writer context. kobject
teardown then recurses into kernfs removal while the current sysfs
node is still being unwound, and lockdep reports recursive locking on
kn->active with kernfs_drain() in the call chain.
Reproducer on an existing level:
1. Create an md0 linear array and activate it:
mknod /dev/md0 b 9 0
echo none > /sys/block/md0/md/metadata_version
echo linear > /sys/block/md0/md/level
echo 1 > /sys/block/md0/md/raid_disks
echo "$(cat /sys/class/block/sdb/dev)" > /sys/block/md0/md/new_dev
echo "$(($(cat /sys/class/block/sdb/size) / 2))" > \
/sys/block/md0/md/dev-sdb/size
echo 0 > /sys/block/md0/md/dev-sdb/slot
echo active > /sys/block/md0/md/array_state
2. Wait briefly for the array to settle, then clear it:
sleep 2
echo clear > /sys/block/md0/md/array_state
The warning looks like:
WARNING: possible recursive locking detected
bash/588 is trying to acquire lock:
(kn->active#65) at __kernfs_remove+0x157/0x1d0
but task is already holding lock:
(kn->active#65) at sysfs_unbreak_active_protection+0x1f/0x40
...
Call Trace:
kernfs_drain
__kernfs_remove
kernfs_remove_by_name_ns
sysfs_remove_group
sysfs_remove_groups
__kobject_del
kobject_put
md_attr_store
kernfs_fop_write_iter
vfs_write
ksys_write
Restore active protection before mddev_put() so the extra sysfs
kobject reference is dropped while the mddev is still held alive. The
actual md kobject deletion is then deferred until after the sysfs
write path has fully returned.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6.17 | 6.18.33 |
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 | 7.0.10-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux | 7.0.0-28.28 | USN-8566-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-aws +2 | 7.0.0-1009.9 | USN-8618-1, USN-8603-1, USN-8568-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-gcp +1 | 7.0.0-1008.8 | USN-8593-1, USN-8566-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-gke | 7.0.0-1003.4 | USN-8566-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-ibm +1 | 7.0.0-1010.10 | USN-8603-1, USN-8593-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-nvidia | 7.0.0-1016.16 | USN-8663-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-nvidia-bos | 7.0.0-2016.16 | USN-8664-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-raspi | 7.0.0-1015.15 | USN-8618-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-riscv +1 | 7.0.0-28.28.1 | USN-8566-1 |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | linux +8 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-azure-7.0 | 7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1 | USN-8728-2 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde-7.0 | 7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-gcp-7.0 +1 | 7.0.0-1011.11~24.04.1 | USN-8728-3, USN-8728-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-hwe-7.0 | 7.0.0-28.28~24.04.1 | USN-8569-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-nvidia-7.0 | 7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1 | USN-8663-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv +26 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv-7.0 | 7.0.0-28.28.1~24.04.3 | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +32 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +28 | No fix yet | — |
Show 3 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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-6.14 +1 | No fix yet | — |
Amazon Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux 2023 | kernel-livepatch-6.18.33-63.124 | 1:1.0-0.amzn2023 | ALAS2023-2026-1866 |
| Amazon Linux 2023 | perf6.18 +11 | 1:6.18.33-63.124.amzn2023 | ALAS2023-2026-1866 |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 9 | kernel-uek +34 | 6.12.0-205.92.4.2.el10uek | ELSA-2026-500150 |
Advisories 14
- USN-8593-1 linux-ibm, linux-oracle vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 13, 2026
- USN-8663-1 linux-nvidia, linux-nvidia-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 13, 2026
- USN-8728-1 linux-gcp-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 13, 2026
- USN-8618-1 linux-aws, linux-raspi vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 13, 2026
- USN-8728-3 linux-oracle-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 13, 2026
- USN-8728-2 linux-azure-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 13, 2026
- USN-8603-1 linux-azure, linux-azure-fde vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 13, 2026
- USN-8664-1 linux-nvidia-bos vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 13, 2026
- WID-SEC-2026-2077 Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-8566-1 linux, linux-gcp, linux-gke, linux-realtime vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 7, 2026
- USN-8569-1 linux-hwe-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 7, 2026
- USN-8568-1 linux-oem-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 7, 2026
- ELSA-2026-500150 Important: Unbreakable Enterprise kernel security update (Oracle Linux 9) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Aug 8, 2026
- ALAS2023-2026-1866 Important: kernel6.18 security update (Amazon Linux 2023) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Aug 5, 2026