# CVE-2026-63804: gfs2: fix use-after-free in gfs2_qd_dealloc

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel GFS2 filesystem allows attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges during unmount operations.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 19 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-63804, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-63804, GHSA-h7c8-wrgv-c7f2, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-63804

## What is CVE-2026-63804?

CVE-2026-63804 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

gfs2: fix use-after-free in gfs2_qd_dealloc

gfs2_qd_dealloc(), called as an RCU callback from gfs2_qd_dispose(),
accesses the superblock object sdp through qd->qd_sbd after freeing qd.
It does so to decrement sd_quota_count and wake up sd_kill_wait.

However, by the time the RCU callback runs, gfs2_put_super() may have
already freed sdp via free_sbd().  This can happen when
gfs2_quota_cleanup() is called during unmount: it disposes of quota
objects via call_rcu() and then waits on sd_kill_wait with a 60-second
timeout.  If the timeout expires, or if gfs2_gl_hash_clear() triggers
additional qd_put() calls that schedule more RCU callbacks after the
wait completes, gfs2_put_super() will proceed to free the superblock
while RCU callbacks referencing it are still pending.

Add an rcu_barrier() before free_sbd() in gfs2_put_super() to ensure
all pending RCU callbacks (including gfs2_qd_dealloc) have completed
before the superblock is freed.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-63804?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-63804?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-63804 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-63804 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-2026-63804 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-63804 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-63804 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-2026-63804/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63804/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-63804
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-63804
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-63804

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63804/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.