CVE-2026-71219 Red Hat CVE debrief

Who should care

System administrators and security teams responsible for Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems, particularly those using gfs2-utils, should assess exposure and implement patches or compensating controls to mitigate the stack overflow vulnerability.

Why it matters

The stack overflow vulnerability in gfs2-utils affects Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems, particularly those using gfs2-utils, and requires medium-priority defensive actions to address potential denial of service and exploitation attempts.

• Denial of service due to stack exhaustion when processing crafted GFS2 filesystem images.
• Potential for exploitation requires verification from official sources.
• Remediation priority is medium due to the potential for denial of service.
• Verification of affected versions and remediation status is necessary.

Technical summary

The hash table traversal code in metawalk.c uses alloca() with an exponentially-derived size from the untrusted on-disk di_depth field without bounds validation, leading to a denial of service when processed by fsck.gfs2, gfs2_edit, or savemeta. This vulnerability affects Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems using gfs2-utils, particularly those with unpatched versions. The vulnerability can be triggered by a crafted GFS2 filesystem image with a large di_depth value, causing stack exhaustion and a denial of service. The technical impact is a medium-priority defensive action to address potential denial of service and exploitation attempts.

Defensive priority

Medium-priority defensive actions are recommended to address the stack overflow vulnerability in gfs2-utils, particularly for systems using Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 8, or 9.

Recommended defensive actions

• Review and apply patches from Red Hat to address the stack overflow vulnerability in gfs2-utils.
• Update Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems to versions with the patched gfs2-utils.
• Implement compensating controls, such as monitoring and exception tracking, to detect potential exploitation attempts.
• Verify the integrity of GFS2 filesystem images to prevent crafted images from causing denial of service.
• Review system logs for signs of potential exploitation attempts.
• Inventory affected systems and prioritize patching based on criticality and exposure.
• Track remediation progress and verify patched systems to ensure vulnerability resolution.

Evidence notes

The CVE record and NVD entry provide details on the stack overflow vulnerability in gfs2-utils, including its impact on Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems. The vulnerability is caused by the hash table traversal code in metawalk.c using alloca() with an exponentially-derived size from the untrusted on-disk di_depth field without bounds validation. This results in a denial of service when processed by fsck.gfs2, gfs2_edit, or savemeta. The evidence is limited to the information provided in the CVE record and NVD entry, and further review

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.