# CVE-2026-97950: configfs: pin the symlink target's dirent instead of chasing ->ci_dentry

> A race condition in the Linux kernel configfs subsystem allows a local attacker to trigger a use-after-free, causing a kernel warning and potential denial of service.

- **Severity:** Not scored
- **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:** 25 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-104570, BELL-CVE-2026-97950, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-97950, GHSA-6xvc-m8wh-p8q8, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-97950

## What is CVE-2026-97950?

CVE-2026-97950 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 25 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:

configfs: pin the symlink target's dirent instead of chasing ->ci_dentry

create_link() reads the target's configfs_dirent from
item->ci_dentry->d_fsdata, relying on the item reference taken by
get_target().  That reference pins the item, not its dentry: the dentry is
pinned by DCACHE_PERSISTENT, which configfs_remove_dir() releases via
simple_rmdir() while the item is still alive.  A symlink racing with rmdir
of its target can therefore find ->ci_dentry freed and its dirent
released, triggering WARN_ON(!atomic_read(&sd->s_count)) in configfs_get().

Take the dirent in get_target() as well, under ->d_lock and atomically
with the item reference, and pass it down to create_link().  A hashed
dentry has not been killed yet, so its ->d_fsdata reference keeps the
dirent alive there.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-97950?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-97950?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-97950 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-97950 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-97950 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-97950 is an use after free vulnerability in Linux, published on 25 Sep 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-2026-97950 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. 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-2026-97950/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97950/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-97950
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97950
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-97950

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-97950/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.