KernelScan.io

HIGH

nfsd Export Race

CVE-2026-31404

CVSS 7.8 / 10.0 NVD

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

KernelScan AI5.6MEDIUM

01

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: NFSD: Defer sub-object cleanup in export put callbacks svc_export_put() calls path_put() and auth_domain_put() immediately when the last reference drops, before the RCU grace period. RCU readers in e_show() and c_show() access both ex_path (via seq_path/d_path) and ex_client->name (via seq_escape) without holding a reference. If cache_clean removes the entry and drops the last reference concurrently, the sub-objects are freed while still in use, producing a NULL pointer dereference in d_path. Commit 2530766492ec ("nfsd: fix UAF when access ex_uuid or ex_stats") moved kfree of ex_uuid and ex_stats into the call_rcu callback, but left path_put() and auth_domain_put() running before the grace period because both may sleep and call_rcu callbacks execute in softirq context. Replace call_rcu/kfree_rcu with queue_rcu_work(), which defers the callback until after the RCU grace period and executes it in process context where sleeping is permitted. This allows path_put() and auth_domain_put() to be moved into the deferred callback alongside the other resource releases. Apply the same fix to expkey_put(), which has the identical pattern with ek_path and ek_client. A dedicated workqueue scopes the shutdown drain to only NFSD export release work items; flushing the shared system_unbound_wq would stall on unrelated work from other subsystems. nfsd_export_shutdown() uses rcu_barrier() followed by flush_workqueue() to ensure all deferred release callbacks complete before the export caches are destroyed. Reviwed-by: Jeff Layton <jlayton@kernel.org>

02

Engine v0.2.0

Risk summary

Local users with low privileges can trigger a use-after-free in the NFSD export cache during RCU cleanup, leading to a NULL pointer dereference and kernel panic. Systems running the NFS server with accessible export cache interfaces are affected.

Affectedfs/nfsd/export.c (NFSD export cache)

Vulnerability analysis

The vulnerability stems from a race condition between RCU readers in e_show()/c_show() and cache cleanup in cache_clean(). When cache_clean removes an export entry and drops the last reference, svc_export_put() immediately calls path_put() and auth_domain_put() before the RCU grace period ends. RCU readers can still access ex_path and ex_client->name without holding references, leading to use-after-free of those sub-objects. The freed memory may be read via seq_path/d_path and seq_escape, potentially leaking kernel memory contents to user space before producing a NULL pointer dereference and kernel panic. The fix replaces call_rcu with queue_rcu_work() to defer cleanup until after the RCU grace period in process context where sleeping is permitted, and introduces a dedicated workqueue with proper shutdown synchronization.

03

BranchFixed inPatch commit
6.186.18.202829e80d29b6
6.196.19.10f5ab1bec5fa1
mainline7.048db892356d6