# CVE-2026-64159: netfs: Fix zeropoint update where i_size > remote_i_size

> A logic error in the Linux kernel netfs module allows incorrect zero-point updates, potentially leading to information disclosure via short reads.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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:** 21 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-64159, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-64159, GHSA-hrh3-6x34-5fxf, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-64159

## What is CVE-2026-64159?

CVE-2026-64159 is a medium-severity 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:

netfs: Fix zeropoint update where i_size > remote_i_size

Fix the update of the zero point[*] by netfs_release_folio() when there is
uncommitted data in the pagecache beyond the folio being released but the
on-server EOF is in this folio (ie. i_size > remote_i_size).  The update
needs to limit zero_point to remote_i_size, not i_size as i_size is a local
phenomenon reflecting updates made locally to the pagecache, not stuff
written to the server.  remote_i_size tracks the server's i_size.

[*] The zero point is the file position from which we can assume that the
    server will just return zeros, so we can avoid generating reads.

Note that netfs_invalidate_folio() probably doesn't need fixing as
zero_point should be updated by setattr after truncation or fallocate.

Found with:

    fsx -q -N 1000000 -p 10000 -o 128000 -l 600000 \
        /xfstest.test/junk --replay-ops=junk.fsxops

using the following as junk.fsxops:

    truncate 0x0 0x1bbae 0x82864
    write 0x3ef2e 0xf9c8 0x1bbae
    write 0x67e05 0xcb5a 0x4e8f6
    mapread 0x57781 0x85b6 0x7495f
    copy_range 0x5d3d 0x10329 0x54fac 0x7495f
    write 0x64710 0x1c2b 0x7495f
    mapread 0x64000 0x1000 0x7495f

on cifs with the default cache option.

It shows read-gaps on folio 0x64 failing with a short read (ie. it hits
EOF) if the FMODE_READ check is commented out in netfs_perform_write():

                if (//(file->f_mode & FMODE_READ) ||
                    netfs_is_cache_enabled(ctx)) {

and no fscache.  This was initially found with the generic/522 xfstest.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-64159?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-64159?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-64159 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64159 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-2026-64159 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-64159 is a medium-severity 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-2026-64159 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-2026-64159/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64159/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-64159
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-64159
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-64159

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64159/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.