---
id: CVE-2026-97949
title: |-
  In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

  configfs: unhash the dentry before dropping the item in rmdir

  configfs_get_config_item() treats a hashed dentry as proof that
  sd->s_element is a live config_item
summary: |-
  In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

  configfs: unhash the dentry before dropping the item in rmdir

  configfs_get_config_item() treats a hashed dentry as proof that
  sd->s_element is a live config_item.  con…
severity: none
vendor: Linux
product: Linux
affected:
  - >-
    Linux >= 7063fbf2261194f72ee75afca67b3b38b554b5fa <
    5d7cbfb65e47cc71d5d94d87d5d0d1679080f3eb
  - >-
    Linux >= 7063fbf2261194f72ee75afca67b3b38b554b5fa <
    925d8564f1b2d9b46c5ab63b9bc942cea006da9b
  - >-
    Linux >= 7063fbf2261194f72ee75afca67b3b38b554b5fa <
    f06c2d26d1999d37e93299db0ecead04ca7d0b9f
  - Linux 2.6.16
published: '2026-09-25'
updated: '2026-09-25'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-25T11:17:22.453'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97949'
references:
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5d7cbfb65e47cc71d5d94d87d5d0d1679080f3eb'
    label: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/925d8564f1b2d9b46c5ab63b9bc942cea006da9b'
    label: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f06c2d26d1999d37e93299db0ecead04ca7d0b9f'
    label: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
tags:
  - nvd
  - cve.org
ingestedAt: '2026-09-25T11:06:38.879Z'
---

## Overview

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

configfs: unhash the dentry before dropping the item in rmdir

configfs_get_config_item() treats a hashed dentry as proof that
sd->s_element is a live config_item.  configfs_rmdir() breaks that:
simple_rmdir() leaves the dentry hashed, the last reference to the item is
dropped right after, and the dentry is only unhashed by d_delete() once
->rmdir() has returned.  configfs_symlink() resolves its target holding no
lock on it, so get_target() can land in that window:

  BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in config_item_get+0x26/0x90
   get_target fs/configfs/symlink.c:128 [inline]
   configfs_symlink+0x4ab/0x1030 fs/configfs/symlink.c:185

Unhash in configfs_remove_dir(), while the item is still guaranteed to be
there.  A reference obtained just before that stays harmless, as
create_link() rechecks CONFIGFS_USET_DROPPING, already set by
configfs_detach_prep().  Both configfs_unregister_subsystem() paths
d_drop() after detaching, so this only makes rmdir match them.

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.