CVE-2026-98538

writeback: bound cleanup_offline_cgwb() rescans by rotating scanned inodes

CVE-2026-98538 is fixed in 92 products on 1 platform, first by DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98538, released October 19, 2026. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: Routine.

Routine
CVSS
4.1
Moderate
Exploitation
None reported
No vendor assessment
CISA KEV
Not listed
Not in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
EPSS
0.0022
11th percentile

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: writeback: bound cleanup_offline_cgwb() rescans by rotating scanned inodes cleanup_offline_cgwb() prepares at most WB_MAX_INODES_PER_ISW inodes per call and is called again until the dying wb is drained, but every call walks wb->b_attached and then wb->b_dirty_time from the same end. Inodes already prepared (they stay on the list with I_WB_SWITCH set until the switch worker runs) and inodes that cannot be switched (I_FREEING, I_WILL_FREE, !SB_ACTIVE, DAX, already on the target wb) stay where they are, so each pass rescans a growing run of them under wb->list_lock and a full drain is quadratic in the number of inodes on the list. With ~17M inodes attached to one dying cgwb we saw this end in soft lockups, with CPUs reported stuck for 21-48s. Walk both lists from the oldest end and move every scanned inode to the newest end, so the next pass starts where the previous one stopped and the drain becomes linear. b_attached is unordered, so nobody sees the reorder there. b_dirty_time is ordered by dirtied_when, but the oldest unscanned inode stays at the end move_expired_inodes() picks from, sync takes the whole list regardless of order, and prepared inodes leave the list as soon as the switch work runs and get a new dirtied_time_when on the new wb anyway, so the only inodes left out of order are the ones that can never switch (DAX), and only on the dying wb.

Where it's fixed

ProductFixed inFixReleased
Linux
bpftool · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
bpftool-debuginfo · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
bpftool6.12 · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
bpftool6.12-debuginfo · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
bpftool6.18 · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
bpftool6.18-debuginfo · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
kernel · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-debuginfo · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64 · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-devel · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-headers · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-livepatch-6.1.188-233.393 · amzn 2023 1:1.0-0.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-livepatch-6.12.111-136.204 · amzn 2023 1:1.0-0.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-livepatch-6.18.54-121.166 · amzn 2023 1:1.0-0.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-modules-extra · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-modules-extra-common · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-tools · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-tools-debuginfo · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-tools-devel · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-core · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-core · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-core · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-core · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-devel · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-devel · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-core · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-core · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-deprecated · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-deprecated · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-desktop · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-desktop · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-extra · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-extra · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-extra-netfilter · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-extra-netfilter · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-usb · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-usb · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-wireless · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-debug-modules-wireless · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-devel · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-devel · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-doc · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-doc · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-core · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-core · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-deprecated · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-deprecated · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-desktop · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-desktop · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-extra · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-extra · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-extra-netfilter · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-extra-netfilter · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-usb · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-usb · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-wireless · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-modules-wireless · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-tools · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek-tools · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-core · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-core · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-devel · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-devel · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-core · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-core · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-deprecated · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-deprecated · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-desktop · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-desktop · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-extra · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-extra · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-extra-netfilter · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-extra-netfilter · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-usb · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-usb · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-wireless · ol 10 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel-uek64k-modules-wireless · ol 9 0:6.12.0-208.112.5.el9uek ELSA-2026-500572 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.12 · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.12-debuginfo · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.12-debuginfo-common-aarch64 · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.12-debuginfo-common-x86_64 · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.12-devel · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.12-headers · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.12-modules-extra · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.12-modules-extra-common · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.12-tools · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.12-tools-debuginfo · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.12-tools-devel · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.18 · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.18-debuginfo · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.18-debuginfo-common-aarch64 · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.18-debuginfo-common-x86_64 · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.18-devel · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.18-headers · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.18-modules-extra · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.18-modules-extra-common · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.18-tools · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.18-tools-debuginfo · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
kernel6.18-tools-devel · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
linux · Debian 12.15 (bookworm) 6.1.190-1 DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98538 Oct 19, 2026
linux · Debian 13.5 (trixie) 6.12.113-1 DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98538 Oct 19, 2026
linux · Debian 14 7.2.9-1 DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98538 Oct 19, 2026
linux-6.12 · Debian 12.15 (bookworm) 6.12.113-1~deb12u1 DEBIAN-CVE-2026-98538 Oct 19, 2026
microvm-kernel6.18 · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
perf · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
perf-debuginfo · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
perf6.12 · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
perf6.12-debuginfo · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
perf6.18 · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
perf6.18-debuginfo · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
python3-perf · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
python3-perf-debuginfo · amzn 2023 1:6.1.188-233.393.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3183 Nov 7, 2026
python3-perf6.12 · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
python3-perf6.12-debuginfo · amzn 2023 1:6.12.111-136.204.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3193 Nov 7, 2026
python3-perf6.18 · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026
python3-perf6.18-debuginfo · amzn 2023 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-3192 Nov 7, 2026

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