HIGH Introduced in 4.0
nfs DsCache Deref
CVE-2026-90102
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
KernelScan AI7.5HIGH
01Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: NFSv4/pnfs: key the data server cache on the NFS version nfs4_pnfs_ds_add() keys the per-net data server cache on the multipath address set alone, and struct nfs4_pnfs_ds records no version. That suffices for the files layout driver, which always connects with version 4, but flexfiles takes its version tuple from GETDEVICEINFO per device, and one address can legitimately serve both NFSv3 and NFSv4. Two deviceids on one address with different ds_versions[0].version therefore share a single nfs4_pnfs_ds, and whichever mirror connects first pins ds_clp to its own version. The other one is handed that client anyway, so it selects rpc_call_ops for a version the connection does not speak, and the mismatched sequence-slot handling dereferences NULL. Add the version to the cache key so the two cannot alias, giving each version its own nfs4_pnfs_ds and connection while both mirrors stay usable. Only the major version is compared, since that is what selects rpc_call_ops and rpc_ops; v4.0 and v4.1 keep sharing a client. The files layout driver passes the 4 it already hardcodes at connect time.
02KernelScan AI Analysis
Risk summary
An NFS client using pNFS flexfiles layout can be crashed by a malicious or compromised NFS metadata server that returns device information causing two devices on the same address to use different NFS protocol versions. The resulting protocol-version mismatch leads to a NULL pointer dereference in the kernel, causing a denial of service. No client-side privileges are required; the trigger is entirely server-driven via normal NFS protocol exchanges.
Vulnerability analysis
The NFS client caches connections to data servers using only the network address, ignoring the protocol version. A single storage address can legitimately offer both NFSv3 and NFSv4. When the client handles device information from the metadata server, two devices at the same address but with different versions can share one cached connection. The first device to connect locks the shared entry to its version, so the second device is handed a connection speaking the wrong protocol. The resulting version mismatch causes the kernel to dereference a null pointer and crash. The fix includes the major protocol version in the cache key so that each version receives its own connection. Any client using the flexfile layout is vulnerable; a malicious or compromised metadata server can trigger the crash with crafted device information, requiring no privileges on the client.
Lifecycle
03Fix Versions
| Branch | Introduced | Fixed in | Patch commit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.10 | 4.0 | 5.10.270 | ffb100b0da0e |
| 5.15 | 4.0 | 5.15.221 | 02e160922bc8 |
| 6.1 | 4.0 | 6.1.188 | bc7aa9d8aff8 |
| 6.12 | 4.0 | 6.12.110 | f2994ba1263d |
| 6.18 | 4.0 | 6.18.52 | 27f640cd92ee |
| 6.6 | 4.0 | 6.6.157 | dd5bd091daa4 |
| 7.2 | 4.0 | 7.2.6 | bbc975cfb07a |
| mainline | 4.0 | 7.3 | 13c23c5cb977 |
| cip/5.10 | 4.0 | 5.10.271-cip78 | ffb100b0da0e |
| cip/6.1 | 4.0 | 6.1.189-cip61 | bc7aa9d8aff8 |
| cip/6.1-rt | 4.0 | 6.1.189-cip61-rt32 | bc7aa9d8aff8 |
| cip/6.12 | 4.0 | 6.12.111-cip32 | f2994ba1263d |
04CIP Kernels
State of the newest release of each Civil Infrastructure Platform SLTS tree, from CIP's own fix records.
| CIP tree | State |
|---|---|
| cip/6.12 | Fixed in 6.12.111-cip32 |
| cip/6.1 | Fixed in 6.1.189-cip61 |
| cip/6.1-rt | Fixed in 6.1.189-cip61-rt32 |
| cip/5.10 | Fixed in 5.10.271-cip78 |
| cip/5.10-rt | Affected — no CIP fix yet (latest 5.10.268-cip77-rt34) |
| cip/4.19 | Affected — no CIP fix yet (latest 4.19.325-cip136) |
| cip/4.19-rt | Affected — no CIP fix yet (latest 4.19.325-cip136-rt50) |
| cip/4.4 | Affected — no CIP fix yet (latest 4.4.302-cip115) |
| cip/4.4-rt | Affected — no CIP fix yet (latest 4.4.302-cip115-rt63) |