Advisory [CVE-2026-53174] keep err zero after successful ovl_cache_get
This security Red Hat Linux advisory covers CVE-2026-53174.
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Summary
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.
A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's overlay filesystem (ovl) component. Specifically, an issue in the `ovl_iterate_merged()` function incorrectly stores an error pointer even after a successful cache operation.
This can lead to the function returning a misleading non-zero error, potentially causing unexpected behavior or instability within the system. This vulnerability is related to incorrect error handling during directory iteration.
Red Hat severity: not rated. Weakness: CWE-253.
Red Hat lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 as not affected.
Affected versions
No affected-version range was extracted from the source record. The vendor advisory is authoritative — check it before change work.
Official advisory · medium-confidence parse· fetched 9 days ago·verify at source
Fixed versions
No fixed release is recorded yet. That does not prove no patch exists — confirm against the vendor advisory.
Official advisory · medium-confidence parse· fetched 9 days ago·verify at source
Mitigation
The source record does not include mitigation steps. That is not a statement that no fix exists — read the vendor advisory below for the authoritative guidance.
Official advisory · medium-confidence parse· fetched 9 days ago·verify at source
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