# CVE-2026-64185: sysfs: don't remove existing directory on update failure

> A flaw in the Linux kernel sysfs implementation allows attackers to cause a denial of service by triggering a failure that incorrectly removes existing system directories.

- **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:** 19 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2026-64185, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-64185, GHSA-v9gp-g328-r6m8, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-64185

## What is CVE-2026-64185?

CVE-2026-64185 is a medium-severity denial of service 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:

sysfs: don't remove existing directory on update failure

When sysfs_update_group() is called for a named group and create_files()
fails (e.g. -ENOMEM), internal_create_group() calls kernfs_remove(kn) on
the group directory.  In the update path, kn was obtained via
kernfs_find_and_get() and refers to a directory that already existed
before this call.  Removing it silently destroys a sysfs group that the
caller did not create.

Only remove the directory if we created it ourselves.  On update failure
the directory remains as it is left empty by remove_files() inside
create_files(), but can be repopulated by a retry.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-64185?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-64185?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-64185 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-64185 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-2026-64185 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-64185 is a medium-severity denial of service 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-2026-64185 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-2026-64185/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64185/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-64185
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-64185
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-64185

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-64185/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.