Out-of-bounds Read in Linux
CVE-2026-46094
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: fix bounds check in check_xattrs() to prevent out-of-bounds access The bounds check for the next xattr entry in check_xattrs() uses (void *)next >= end, which allows next to point within sizeof(u32) bytes of end. On the next loop iteration, IS_LAST_ENTRY() reads 4 bytes via *(__u32 *)(entry), which can overrun the valid xattr region. For example, if next lands at end - 1, the check passes since next < end, but IS_LAST_ENTRY() reads 4 bytes starting at end - 1, accessing 3 bytes beyond the valid region. Fix this by changing the check to (void *)next + sizeof(u32) > end, ensuring there is always enough space for the IS_LAST_ENTRY() read on the subsequent iteration.
Vulnerability class: Buffer Overflow
Published · last modified .
CVSS v3 metric
CVSS v3 base score 7.1 (High). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H.
EPSS exploit prediction
EPSS: 0.002 (5.2th percentile), scored .
Very low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days; routine patching cadence is appropriate. 5th percentile — 5.2% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.
EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.001 · newest: 0.002 · change: +0.000
Affected products
- Linux — versions 6.18.27, 3478c83cf26bbffd026ae6a56bcb1fe544f0834e, 7.1-rc1
- Linux Kernel
Weakness classification (CWE)
References
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2026-46094?
- CVE-2026-46094 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux, classified under Out-of-bounds Read. CVSS score: 7.1/10. Published 2026-05-27.
- How severe is CVE-2026-46094?
- High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 7.1 out of 10.