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

cachefiles: Fix double unlock in nomem_d_alloc error path

When start_creating() fails and returns -ENOMEM, it has already
released the parent directory lock in __start_dirop():

static struct dentry *__start_dirop(...)
{
...
inode_lock_nested(dir, I_MUTEX_PARENT);
dentry = lookup_one_qstr_excl(name, parent, lookup_flags);
if (IS_ERR(dentry))
inode_unlock(dir); <-- Lock released on error
return dentry;
}

However, the nomem_d_alloc error path in cachefiles_get_directory()
unconditionally calls inode_unlock(d_inode(dir)) again, causing a
double unlock that corrupts the rwsem state.

This is a leftover from commit 7ab96df840e60 which replaced manual
locking with start_creating() but failed to update the nomem_d_alloc
path (while correctly updating mkdir_error and lookup_error paths).

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History

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-362
CWE-404

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cachefiles: Fix double unlock in nomem_d_alloc error path When start_creating() fails and returns -ENOMEM, it has already released the parent directory lock in __start_dirop(): static struct dentry *__start_dirop(...) { ... inode_lock_nested(dir, I_MUTEX_PARENT); dentry = lookup_one_qstr_excl(name, parent, lookup_flags); if (IS_ERR(dentry)) inode_unlock(dir); <-- Lock released on error return dentry; } However, the nomem_d_alloc error path in cachefiles_get_directory() unconditionally calls inode_unlock(d_inode(dir)) again, causing a double unlock that corrupts the rwsem state. This is a leftover from commit 7ab96df840e60 which replaced manual locking with start_creating() but failed to update the nomem_d_alloc path (while correctly updating mkdir_error and lookup_error paths).
Title cachefiles: Fix double unlock in nomem_d_alloc error path
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-15T05:56:05.329Z

Reserved: 2026-08-09T03:40:39.922Z

Link: CVE-2026-72368

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-15T06:22:10.227

Modified: 2026-08-15T06:22:10.227

Link: CVE-2026-72368

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-08-15T10:45:06Z

Weaknesses