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Response snapshot Nov 6, 2026, 19:41 UTC

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VulnerabilityCVE-2026-46094

Linux kernel: ext4: fix bounds check in check_xattrs() to prevent out-of-bounds access

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: fix bounds check in check_xattrs() to prevent out-of-bounds access The bounds check for the next xattr entry in check_xattrs() uses (void *)next >= end, which allows next to point within sizeof(u32) bytes of end.

At a glance

Exploited
Not known
Severity
7.1 High (CVSS 3.1)
Chance of exploitation
0.1% in the next 30 days
Sources
1 source

What to do

Check the vendor advisory for affected versions and fixes.

Read NVD CVE-2026-46094 (opens a new tab)

What happened

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

ext4: fix bounds check in check_xattrs() to prevent out-of-bounds access

The bounds check for the next xattr entry in check_xattrs() uses (void *)next >= end, which allows next to point within sizeof(u32) bytes of end. On the next loop iteration, IS_LAST_ENTRY() reads 4 bytes via *(__u32 *)(entry), which can overrun the valid xattr region.

For example, if next lands at end - 1, the check passes since next < end, but IS_LAST_ENTRY() reads 4 bytes starting at end - 1, accessing 3 bytes beyond the valid region.

Continue reading

Fix this by changing the check to (void *)next + sizeof(u32) > end, ensuring there is always enough space for the IS_LAST_ENTRY() read on the subsequent iteration.

Scores and how they were measured

CVSS base severity

7.1

Version 3.1As of

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

Measurement source (opens a new tab)

How bad it is if exploited. Not a prediction of exploitation or proof you are exposed.

EPSS probability

0.1%

Scored Percentile 2.2%

Model and measurement source (opens a new tab)

A model's estimate of exploitation in the next 30 days, not certainty or your own risk.

Related technology

Sources

  1. Primary source

    NVD CVE-2026-46094 (opens a new tab)

    NVD record: description, CVSS (the CNA score is preferred), affected products, and publication date. Not evidence of exploitation.

    Published Checked

  2. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  3. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  4. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  5. Primary source

    FIRST measured EPSS score (opens a new tab)

    Measured EPSS probability and percentile for CVE-2026-46094, scored 2026-11-06. This is a model estimate, not proof of exposure.

    Published Checked

Cite this record

For factual claims, cite the primary sources above; cite KEVWire for its compilation, dates, and classifications.

APA

KEVWire. (2026, November 6). Linux kernel: ext4: fix bounds check in check_xattrs() to prevent out-of-bounds access (CVE-2026-46094). https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-46094

MLA

"Linux kernel: ext4: fix bounds check in check_xattrs() to prevent out-of-bounds access (CVE-2026-46094)." KEVWire, 6 Nov. 2026, kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-46094.

Chicago

KEVWire. "Linux kernel: ext4: fix bounds check in check_xattrs() to prevent out-of-bounds access (CVE-2026-46094)." Last modified November 6, 2026. https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-46094.

Evidence summary (plain text)

Linux kernel: ext4: fix bounds check in check_xattrs() to prevent out-of-bounds access (May 27, 2026).
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ext4: fix bounds check in check_xattrs() to prevent out-of-bounds access

The bounds check for the next xattr entry in check_xattrs() uses
(void *)next >= end, which allows next to point within sizeof(u32)
bytes of end. On the next loop iteration, IS_LAST_ENTRY() reads 4
bytes via *(__u32 *)(entry), which can overrun the valid xattr region.

For example, if next lands at end - 1, the check passes since
next < end, but IS_LAST_ENTRY() reads 4 bytes starting at end - 1,
accessing 3 bytes beyond the valid region.
CVSS 7.1 (version 3.1; evidence as of Nov 6, 2026; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-46094).
EPSS 0.1% for the following 30 days, scored Nov 6, 2026 (https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-46094&date=2026-11-06).
Sources:
NVD CVE-2026-46094: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-46094
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-11-06T17:06:05.906Z&lastModEndDate=2026-11-06T18:35:59.598Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=0
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-11-06T16:31:13.932Z&lastModEndDate=2026-11-06T18:05:57.615Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=0
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-11-06T15:50:58.372Z&lastModEndDate=2026-11-06T17:30:57.197Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=0
FIRST measured EPSS score: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-46094&date=2026-11-06
Record ID: CVE-2026-46094.
Record origin: Ingested record.
AI evidence: Not assessed.
Known exploitation: Not assessed.
Zero-day status: Not assessed. KEV membership alone does not establish zero-day status.
About this data

This record was ingested from a data source. Retrieved: Nov 6, 2026, 19:36 UTC. Ingestion is not an independent editorial investigation.

NVD status: Analyzed. Publication in the NVD is not evidence of exploitation.

A CISA KEV listing documents known exploitation, not necessarily a zero-day; absence from the catalog does not prove a vulnerability has never been exploited.

Technology tags indicate possible relevance, not verified exposure. Confirm the affected product, version, and configuration against your own inventory; KEVWire does not scan your systems.

A personal reading checklist on this device, not verified remediation.

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Record details

Record detail