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GHSA-RH54-VRWC-232G

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-09-11 21:31 – Updated: 2026-09-13 09:32

Details

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

nfsd: cap decoded POSIX ACL count to bound sort cost

nfsd4_decode_posixacl() reads a u32 entry count off the wire and passes it straight to posix_acl_alloc() and sort_pacl_range(). The latter is an O(n^2) bubble sort, so a client-chosen count drives unbounded CPU in the server's compound processing path.

nfsd4_decode_posixacl()
  xdr_stream_decode_u32(&count)       /* uncapped u32 */
  posix_acl_alloc(count, GFP_KERNEL)
  sort_pacl_range(*acl, 0, count - 1) /* O(n^2) bubble sort */

The encoder side in the same file already rejects ACLs whose a_count exceeds NFS_ACL_MAX_ENTRIES, but the decoder introduced in commit 5fc51dfc2eb1 ("NFSD: Add support for XDR decoding POSIX draft ACLs") omitted the symmetric check.

Fix by rejecting a wire count greater than NFS_ACL_MAX_ENTRIES with nfserr_inval, before any allocation, so the sort is bounded by NFS_ACL_MAX_ENTRIES^2 comparisons.

While we're in here, also fix the nfserr_resource return if posix_acl_alloc() fails. That's not a legal error code for v4.1+. Change it to return nfserr_jukebox as that's more appropriate for memory allocation failures.

Severity

7.5 (High)


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

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{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-89695"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2026-09-11T20:19:56Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnfsd: cap decoded POSIX ACL count to bound sort cost\n\nnfsd4_decode_posixacl() reads a u32 entry count off the wire and passes\nit straight to posix_acl_alloc() and sort_pacl_range(). The latter is\nan O(n^2) bubble sort, so a client-chosen count drives unbounded CPU in\nthe server\u0027s compound processing path.\n\n    nfsd4_decode_posixacl()\n      xdr_stream_decode_u32(\u0026count)       /* uncapped u32 */\n      posix_acl_alloc(count, GFP_KERNEL)\n      sort_pacl_range(*acl, 0, count - 1) /* O(n^2) bubble sort */\n\nThe encoder side in the same file already rejects ACLs whose a_count\nexceeds NFS_ACL_MAX_ENTRIES, but the decoder introduced in commit\n5fc51dfc2eb1 (\"NFSD: Add support for XDR decoding POSIX draft ACLs\")\nomitted the symmetric check.\n\nFix by rejecting a wire count greater than NFS_ACL_MAX_ENTRIES with\nnfserr_inval, before any allocation, so the sort is bounded by\nNFS_ACL_MAX_ENTRIES^2 comparisons.\n\nWhile we\u0027re in here, also fix the nfserr_resource return if\nposix_acl_alloc() fails. That\u0027s not a legal error code for v4.1+. Change\nit to return nfserr_jukebox as that\u0027s more appropriate for memory\nallocation failures.",
  "id": "GHSA-rh54-vrwc-232g",
  "modified": "2026-09-13T09:32:27Z",
  "published": "2026-09-11T21:31:37Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-89695"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4bc1108e876153a2dd6d874052b99182c3603135"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ea14d71d6ecb925673761bcf79f781f7dc9042cc"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ]
}

CVE-2026-89695 (GCVE-0-2026-89695)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-09-11 19:46 – Updated: 2026-09-13 06:33

Title

nfsd: cap decoded POSIX ACL count to bound sort cost

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfsd: cap decoded POSIX ACL count to bound sort cost nfsd4_decode_posixacl() reads a u32 entry count off the wire and passes it straight to posix_acl_alloc() and sort_pacl_range(). The latter is an O(n^2) bubble sort, so a client-chosen count drives unbounded CPU in the server's compound processing path. nfsd4_decode_posixacl() xdr_stream_decode_u32(&count) /* uncapped u32 */ posix_acl_alloc(count, GFP_KERNEL) sort_pacl_range(*acl, 0, count - 1) /* O(n^2) bubble sort */ The encoder side in the same file already rejects ACLs whose a_count exceeds NFS_ACL_MAX_ENTRIES, but the decoder introduced in commit 5fc51dfc2eb1 ("NFSD: Add support for XDR decoding POSIX draft ACLs") omitted the symmetric check. Fix by rejecting a wire count greater than NFS_ACL_MAX_ENTRIES with nfserr_inval, before any allocation, so the sort is bounded by NFS_ACL_MAX_ENTRIES^2 comparisons. While we're in here, also fix the nfserr_resource return if posix_acl_alloc() fails. That's not a legal error code for v4.1+. Change it to return nfserr_jukebox as that's more appropriate for memory allocation failures.

Severity

7.5 (High)


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

Assigner

Linux mitre root

References

2 references

URL	Tags
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ea14d71d6ecb92567…
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4bc1108e876153a2d…

Impacted products

2 products

Vendor	Product	Version
Linux	Linux	Affected: 5fc51dfc2eb160bd7ab3251ab1767cacf9c8bf05 , < ea14d71d6ecb925673761bcf79f781f7dc9042cc (git) Affected: 5fc51dfc2eb160bd7ab3251ab1767cacf9c8bf05 , < 4bc1108e876153a2dd6d874052b99182c3603135 (git)
Linux	Linux	Affected: 7.0 Unaffected: 0 , < 7.0 (semver) Unaffected: 7.2.4 , ≤ 7.2.* (semver) Unaffected: 7.3-rc1 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)

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{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "fs/nfsd/nfs4xdr.c"
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          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
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              "lessThan": "ea14d71d6ecb925673761bcf79f781f7dc9042cc",
              "status": "affected",
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              "versionType": "git"
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            {
              "lessThan": "4bc1108e876153a2dd6d874052b99182c3603135",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "5fc51dfc2eb160bd7ab3251ab1767cacf9c8bf05",
              "versionType": "git"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "defaultStatus": "affected",
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          "programFiles": [
            "fs/nfsd/nfs4xdr.c"
          ],
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          "vendor": "Linux",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "7.0"
            },
            {
              "lessThan": "7.0",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "7.2.*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.2.4",
              "versionType": "semver"
            },
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "*",
              "status": "unaffected",
              "version": "7.3-rc1",
              "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "cpeApplicability": [
        {
          "nodes": [
            {
              "cpeMatch": [
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "7.2.4",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "7.0",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "7.3-rc1",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "7.0",
                  "vulnerable": true
                }
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            }
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          "lang": "en",
          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnfsd: cap decoded POSIX ACL count to bound sort cost\n\nnfsd4_decode_posixacl() reads a u32 entry count off the wire and passes\nit straight to posix_acl_alloc() and sort_pacl_range(). The latter is\nan O(n^2) bubble sort, so a client-chosen count drives unbounded CPU in\nthe server\u0027s compound processing path.\n\n    nfsd4_decode_posixacl()\n      xdr_stream_decode_u32(\u0026count)       /* uncapped u32 */\n      posix_acl_alloc(count, GFP_KERNEL)\n      sort_pacl_range(*acl, 0, count - 1) /* O(n^2) bubble sort */\n\nThe encoder side in the same file already rejects ACLs whose a_count\nexceeds NFS_ACL_MAX_ENTRIES, but the decoder introduced in commit\n5fc51dfc2eb1 (\"NFSD: Add support for XDR decoding POSIX draft ACLs\")\nomitted the symmetric check.\n\nFix by rejecting a wire count greater than NFS_ACL_MAX_ENTRIES with\nnfserr_inval, before any allocation, so the sort is bounded by\nNFS_ACL_MAX_ENTRIES^2 comparisons.\n\nWhile we\u0027re in here, also fix the nfserr_resource return if\nposix_acl_alloc() fails. That\u0027s not a legal error code for v4.1+. Change\nit to return nfserr_jukebox as that\u0027s more appropriate for memory\nallocation failures."
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
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          "cvssV3_1": {
            "baseScore": 7.5,
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "scenarios": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "AV:N - The flaw is in nfsd\u0027s NFSv4 XDR decoder (nfsd4_decode_posixacl in fs/nfsd/nfs4xdr.c), reached when a remote client sends COMPOUND SETATTR, CREATE, or OPEN with POSIX draft ACL fattrs over TCP/2049.\nAC:L - The attacker supplies the u32 ACL count and reverse-sorted ACE payload on the wire; decode then runs sort_pacl_range() deterministically with no race, victim state, or memory-layout dependency.\nPR:N - nfsd4_decode_posixacl() runs during COMPOUND XDR decode before SEQUENCE, filehandle, export, or setattr checks; under AUTH_SYS, the common NFS flavor, RPC credentials are attacker-asserted and no secret is verified.\nUI:N - nfsd worker threads decode and sort the attacker\u0027s COMPOUND automatically; no local user or administrator action is required.\nS:U - Impact stays inside the host kernel\u0027s nfsd thread pool; this is not a VM escape, IOMMU bypass, or other cross-authority boundary.\nC:N - The bug only burns CPU while sorting a temporary decoded POSIX ACL; it does not read kernel or file contents, and a failed posix_acl_alloc() returns an NFS error without leaking memory.\nI:N - sort_pacl_range() only reorders the attacker\u0027s own temporary ACL buffer, which is discarded on error; no kernel memory is corrupted and no on-disk ACL is applied without later authorization.\nA:H - A client-chosen ACE count, practically hundreds of thousands within the 4MiB RPC payload, drives an un-preempted O(n^2) bubble sort in an nfsd thread, stalling the finite nfsd pool so repeated requests fully deny NFS service."
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-09-13T06:33:18.615Z",
        "orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
        "shortName": "Linux"
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        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4bc1108e876153a2dd6d874052b99182c3603135"
        }
      ],
      "title": "nfsd: cap decoded POSIX ACL count to bound sort cost",
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "bippy-1.2.0"
      }
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  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
    "assignerShortName": "Linux",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-89695",
    "datePublished": "2026-09-11T19:46:14.258Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-09-11T19:38:34.750Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-09-13T06:33:18.615Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2"
}

Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date	Other

Nomenclature

Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.

Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.

The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base model, served locally by ML-Gateway. They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.

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