CVE-2026-23388: Squashfs: check metadata block offset is within range

Published Mar 25, 2026
·
Updated

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

Squashfs: check metadata block offset is within range

Syzkaller reports a "general protection fault in squashfscopydata"

This is ultimately caused by a corrupted index look-up table, which produces a negative metadata block offset.

This is subsequently passed to squashfscopydata (via squashfsreadmetadata) where the negative offset causes an out of bounds access.

The fix is to check that the offset is within range in squashfsreadmetadata. This will trap this and other cases.

Affected Software

19 affected componentsFixes available
Linux Squashfs (Linux kernel)
Microsoft azl3 kernel 6.6.126.1-1
Linux Linux kernel>=2.6.29.1<5.10.253
Linux Linux kernel>=5.11<5.15.203
Linux Linux kernel>=5.16<6.1.167
Linux Linux kernel>=6.2<6.6.130
Linux Linux kernel>=6.7<6.12.77
Linux Linux kernel>=6.13<6.18.17
Linux Linux kernel>=6.19<6.19.7
Linux Linux kernel=2.6.29
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc1
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc2
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc3
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc4
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc5
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc6
Linux Linux kernel=7.0-rc7
Microsoft azl3 kernel 6.6.126.1-1<6.6.130.1-1
6.6.130.1-1
debian/linux
6.1.176-16.1.190-16.12.107-16.12.115-27.2.12-17.2.15-1

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade to a fixed release to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.6.130.1-1
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.1.176-1Fixed in 6.1.190-1Fixed in 6.12.107-1Fixed in 6.12.113-1Fixed in 7.2.12-1Fixed in 7.2.13-1

Event History

Mar 25, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·10:28 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·10:28 AM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·11:16 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Mar 26, 2026
Data Sourced
via Microsoft·08:03 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Parent advisories

This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.

Peer vulnerabilities

Found alongside the following vulnerabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2026-23388?

CVE-2026-23388 is classified as a high severity vulnerability due to its potential to cause a general protection fault in the Linux kernel.

2

How do I fix CVE-2026-23388?

To fix CVE-2026-23388, ensure that you update your Linux kernel version to the latest patched release that addresses this vulnerability.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-2026-23388?

CVE-2026-23388 affects systems using the Squashfs filesystem in the Linux kernel.

4

What are the risks associated with CVE-2026-23388?

The risks associated with CVE-2026-23388 include potential system crashes and data corruption due to a corrupted metadata block.

5

Who reported CVE-2026-23388?

CVE-2026-23388 was reported by Syzkaller, a testing tool for finding bugs in the kernel.

Contact

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