CVE-2026-80879 ocfs2: fix circular locking dependency in ocfs2_dio_end_io_write
A local attacker can trigger a circular locking dependency in the OCFS2 filesystem, causing a system deadlock and denial of service.
- 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
What is CVE-2026-80879?
CVE-2026-80879 is a vulnerability in Linux, published on 4 Sep 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:
ocfs2: fix circular locking dependency in ocfs2_dio_end_io_write
A circular locking dependency involves INODE_ALLOC_SYSTEM_INODE, EXTENT_ALLOC_SYSTEM_INODE, and ORPHAN_DIR_SYSTEM_INODE.
1. ocfs2_mknod() acquires INODE_ALLOC then EXTENT_ALLOC.
2. ocfs2_dio_end_io_write() acquires EXTENT_ALLOC for unwritten extents, then ORPHAN_DIR via ocfs2_del_inode_from_orphan() while still holding EXTENT_ALLOC.
3. ocfs2_wipe_inode() acquires ORPHAN_DIR then INODE_ALLOC via ocfs2_remove_inode.
Break the cycle in ocfs2_dio_end_io_write() by freeing the allocation contexts (releasing EXTENT_ALLOC) before acquiring ORPHAN_DIR.
WARNING: possible circular locking dependency detected ------------------------------------------------------ is trying to acquire lock: ffff8881e78b33a0 (&ocfs2_sysfile_lock_key[INODE_ALLOC_SYSTEM_INODE]){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: ocfs2_evict_inode+0x1539/0x43b0 fs/ocfs2/inode.c:1299
but task is already holding lock: ffff8881e78b4fa0 (&ocfs2_sysfile_lock_key[ORPHAN_DIR_SYSTEM_INODE]){+.+.}-{4:4}, at: ocfs2_evict_inode+0xe97/0x43b0 fs/ocfs2/inode.c:1299
the existing dependency chain (in reverse order) is:
-> #2 (&ocfs2_sysfile_lock_key[ORPHAN_DIR_SYSTEM_INODE]){+.+.}-{4:4}: inode_lock include/linux/fs.h:1029 [inline] ocfs2_del_inode_from_orphan+0x12e/0x7a0 fs/ocfs2/namei.c:2728 ocfs2_dio_end_io+0xf9c/0x1370 fs/ocfs2/aops.c:2418 dio_complete+0x25b/0x790 fs/direct-io.c:281
-> #1 (&ocfs2_sysfile_lock_key[EXTENT_ALLOC_SYSTEM_INODE]){+.+.}-{4:4}: inode_lock include/linux/fs.h:1029 [inline] ocfs2_reserve_suballoc_bits+0x16d/0x4840 fs/ocfs2/suballoc.c:882 ocfs2_reserve_new_metadata_blocks+0x415/0x9a0 fs/ocfs2/suballoc.c:1078 ocfs2_mknod+0x10f3/0x2260 fs/ocfs2/namei.c:351
-> #0 (&ocfs2_sysfile_lock_key[INODE_ALLOC_SYSTEM_INODE]){+.+.}-{4:4}: __lock_acquire+0x15a5/0x2cf0 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5237 lock_acquire+0x106/0x350 kernel/locking/lockdep.c:5868 down_write+0x96/0x200 kernel/locking/rwsem.c:1625 inode_lock include/linux/fs.h:1029 [inline] ocfs2_remove_inode fs/ocfs2/inode.c:733 [inline] ocfs2_wipe_inode fs/ocfs2/inode.c:896 [inline] ocfs2_delete_inode fs/ocfs2/inode.c:1157 [inline] ocfs2_evict_inode+0x1539/0x43b0 fs/ocfs2/inode.c:1299
Chain exists of: &ocfs2_sysfile_lock_key[INODE_ALLOC_SYSTEM_INODE] --> &ocfs2_sysfile_lock_key[EXTENT_ALLOC_SYSTEM_INODE] --> &ocfs2_sysfile_lock_key[ORPHAN_DIR_SYSTEM_INODE]
Possible unsafe locking scenario:
CPU0 CPU1 ---- ---- lock(&ocfs2_sysfile_lock_key[ORPHAN_DIR_SYSTEM_INODE]); lock(&ocfs2_sysfile_lock_key[EXTENT_ALLOC_SYSTEM_INODE]); lock(&ocfs2_sysfile_lock_key[ORPHAN_DIR_SYSTEM_INODE]); lock(&ocfs2_sysfile_lock_key[INODE_ALLOC_SYSTEM_INODE]);
*** DEADLOCK ***
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-80879?
How do I fix CVE-2026-80879?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2026-80879 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-80879 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2026-80879, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-80879, GHSA-3265-4r84-rmmm, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-80879.