CVE-2026-98090: btrfs: restore active device pointers after failed sprout

Severity: medium (CVSS 5.5 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.1% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2026-09-25 · updated 2026-10-23
Weakness: CWE-416

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: restore active device pointers after failed sprout btrfs_init_new_device() switches latest_dev and possibly s_bdev from the seed device to the new sprout device before creating the first writable chunks. If chunk creation or the subsequent sprout setup fails, the error path releases the new device without switching those pointers back. btrfs_show_devname() can then dereference the freed latest_dev and crash. Restore the active device pointers to the latest seed device before removing and releasing the failed sprout device.

Affected products

Linux kernel: from 5.13 before 5.15.222; from 5.16 before 6.1.189; from 6.2 before 6.6.158; from 6.7 before 6.12.111; from 6.13 before 6.18.53; from 6.19 before 7.2.7 — fixed in 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.12.111, 6.18.53, 6.6.158, 7.2.7

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Linux kernel 5.15.222, 6.1.189, 6.12.111, 6.18.53. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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