CVE-2026-72163: ocfs2: fix NULL h_transaction deref in ocfs2_assure_trans_credits

Severity: unknown
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-08-15 · updated 2026-08-17

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ocfs2: fix NULL h_transaction deref in ocfs2_assure_trans_credits [BUG] A direct write over unwritten extents can panic the kernel in ocfs2_assure_trans_credits() when the journal aborts during DIO completion. The crash is a general protection fault from a NULL pointer dereference. [CAUSE] ocfs2_dio_end_io_write() loops over a direct write's unwritten extents, marking each written under a single journal handle. If the journal aborts (for example after an I/O error) while the extent tree is being updated, the handle is left aborted with its transaction pointer cleared. The extent merge treats that failure as not critical and reports success, so the loop keeps using the handle. ocfs2_assure_trans_credits() reads the handle's remaining credits without first checking whether the handle is aborted, and that read dereferences the cleared transaction pointer. [FIX] A journal abort is recorded in the handle itself, so callers are expected to test the handle rather than rely on a returned error. Make ocfs2_assure_trans_credits() do that, as the other ocfs2 journal helpers already do, and return -EROFS when the handle is aborted.

Affected products

Linux kernel: from 5.10.221 before 5.10.261; from 5.15.162 before 5.15.212; from 6.1.97 before 6.1.178; from 6.6.37 before 6.6.145; from 6.9.8 before 6.10; 6.10 — fixed in 5.10.261, 5.15.212, 6.1.178, 6.10, 6.6.145, 7.2

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 5.10.261, 5.15.212, 6.1.178, 6.10. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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