CVE-2026-53174

HIGH 7.8

Published 2026-06-25 · Last modified 2026-06-28

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ovl: keep err zero after successful ovl_cache_get() ovl_iterate_merged() stores PTR_ERR(cache) in err before checking IS_ERR(cache). On success err holds the truncated cache pointer and can be returned as a bogus non-zero error. The syzbot reproducer reaches this through overlay-on-overlay readdir: getdents64 iterate_dir(outer overlay file) ovl_iterate_merged() ovl_cache_get() ovl_dir_read_merged() ovl_dir_read() iterate_dir(inner overlay file) ovl_iterate_merged() Only compute PTR_ERR(cache) on the error path.

ELEVATED IMPACT

Severe if exploited (CVSS 7.8), but no known exploitation and low modeled probability. Patch on a normal cadence.

Exploitation likelihood

0.1%chance of exploitation in 30 days · 3rd percentile

○ In CISA KEV ○ Public exploit / PoC

Impact if exploited

7.8CVSS 3.1 · HIGH

ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh

What an attacker needs

⚠Access: Requires local access to the host
⚠Privileges: Requires a low-privilege account
✓User interaction: No user interaction needed
✓Complexity: No special conditions — reliably repeatable

✓ lowers the bar for an attacker · ⚠ raises it

Affected

Vendors Linux

Products Linux

Weakness (CWE)

Not classified.

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

References

Technical & other

Sources: NVD · CVE.org · EPSS