# CVE-2026-53399: nfsd: release layout stid on setlease failure

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel NFS server allows attackers to cause a denial of service or potentially execute code via crafted lease requests.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 19 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-92576, BELL-CVE-2026-53399, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-53399, GHSA-f4wg-8884-3qg5, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-53399, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-53399, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-53399, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-53399

## What is CVE-2026-53399?

CVE-2026-53399 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

nfsd: release layout stid on setlease failure

nfs4_alloc_stid() publishes the new stid into cl->cl_stateids via
idr_alloc_cyclic() under cl_lock before returning to
nfsd4_alloc_layout_stateid(). When nfsd4_layout_setlease() then
fails, the error path frees the layout stateid directly with
kmem_cache_free() without ever calling idr_remove(), leaving the
IDR slot pointing at freed slab memory. Any subsequent IDR walker
(states_show, client teardown) dereferences the dangling pointer.

The correct teardown for an IDR-published stid is nfs4_put_stid(),
which removes the IDR slot under cl_lock, dispatches sc_free
(nfsd4_free_layout_stateid) to release ls->ls_file via
nfsd4_close_layout(), and drops the nfs4_file reference in its
tail.

A second issue blocks that switch: nfsd4_free_layout_stateid()
unconditionally inspects ls->ls_fence_work via
delayed_work_pending() under ls_lock, but
INIT_DELAYED_WORK(&ls->ls_fence_work, ...) currently runs only
after the setlease call. On the setlease-failure path the
destructor would touch an uninitialized delayed_work.

    nfsd4_alloc_layout_stateid()
      nfs4_alloc_stid()           /* idr_alloc_cyclic under cl_lock */
      nfsd4_layout_setlease()     /* fails */
        nfs4_put_stid()
          nfsd4_free_layout_stateid()
            delayed_work_pending(&ls->ls_fence_work)  /* needs INIT */
            nfsd4_close_layout()  /* nfsd_file_put(ls->ls_file) */
          put_nfs4_file()

Fix by hoisting the ls_fenced / ls_fence_delay / INIT_DELAYED_WORK
initialization above the nfsd4_layout_setlease() call, and replace
the manual nfsd_file_put + put_nfs4_file + kmem_cache_free cleanup
with a single nfs4_put_stid(stp).

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference), CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-53399?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-53399?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-53399 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-53399 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-53399 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-53399 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-53399 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53399/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53399/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-53399
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-53399
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-53399

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53399/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.