# CVE-2026-98090: btrfs: restore active device pointers after failed sprout

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel btrfs filesystem allows a local attacker with high privileges to cause a system crash by triggering a failed device sprout operation.

- **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:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 19 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-104367, BELL-CVE-2026-98090, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98090, GHSA-j9r6-v9mw-fjh8, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-98090

## What is CVE-2026-98090?

CVE-2026-98090 is a medium-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, 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:

btrfs: restore active device pointers after failed sprout

btrfs_init_new_device() switches latest_dev and possibly s_bdev from the
seed device to the new sprout device before creating the first writable
chunks.

If chunk creation or the subsequent sprout setup fails, the error path
releases the new device without switching those pointers back.
btrfs_show_devname() can then dereference the freed latest_dev and crash.

Restore the active device pointers to the latest seed device before
removing and releasing the failed sprout device.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-98090?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-98090?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-98090 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-98090 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-2026-98090 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-98090 is a medium-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, 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-2026-98090 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-2026-98090/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98090/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-98090
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98090
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-98090

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-98090/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.