CVE-2026-97415 Linux CVE debrief

Who should care

Linux kernel developers and maintainers, as well as users of Linux-based systems that use the btrfs filesystem, should review and apply the patch to prevent potential information disclosure and denial of service. Additionally, system administrators and security teams responsible for Linux-based systems should be aware of this vulnerability and take necessary precautions to mitigate the risk.

Why it matters

The Linux kernel has a vulnerability in the btrfs tree-checker that could allow for out-of-bounds reads when handling corrupted ROOT_REF and ROOT_BACKREF items. This could lead to information disclosure via the BTRFS_IOC_GET_SUBVOL_INFO ioctl. The vulnerability has been resolved with validation added in tree-checker. Linux kernel developers and maintainers should review and apply the patch to prevent potential information disclosure and denial of service.

• Potential information disclosure via BTRFS_IOC_GET_SUBVOL_INFO ioctl
• Need to validate ROOT_REF and ROOT_BACKREF items in tree-checker
• Potential for denial of service due to out-of-bounds reads

Technical summary

The Linux kernel has a vulnerability in the btrfs tree-checker that could allow for out-of-bounds reads when handling corrupted ROOT_REF and ROOT_BACKREF items. This could lead to information disclosure via the BTRFS_IOC_GET_SUBVOL_INFO ioctl. The vulnerability has been resolved with validation added in tree-checker. The tree-checker now validates the names in ROOT_REF and ROOT_BACKREF items to prevent out-of-bounds reads. This validation ensures that the on-disk name length exactly describes the remaining item payload and that the name does not exceed BTRFS_NAME_LEN.

Defensive priority

Medium

Recommended defensive actions

• Review and apply the patch to validate ROOT_REF and ROOT_BACKREF items in tree-checker
• Update Linux kernel to the latest version
• Monitor for potential information disclosure via BTRFS_IOC_GET_SUBVOL_INFO ioctl
• Perform a thorough review of the system for potential exposure
• Check relevant monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets that need extra review
• Track exceptions, retest remediated assets, and close the item only after evidence is documented.
• Confirm whether affected product deployments exist in managed environments and assign an owner for follow-up.

Evidence notes

The CVE record and NVD entry provide details on the vulnerability, including its description and CVSS score. However, the corpus does not establish versions, exploitation, impact, or remediation, which require verification from the supplied official sources.

Sources and references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.