UBUNTU-CVE-2026-72161: Null Pointer Dereference

Published Aug 15, 2026
·
Updated

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ocfs2: add journal NULL check in ocfs2checkpointinode() During unmount, ocfs2journalshutdown() frees the journal and sets osb->journal to NULL. Later, when VFS evicts remaining cached inodes, ocfs2evictinode() -> ocfs2clearinode() -> ocfs2checkpointinode() -> ocfs2cifullycheckpointed() dereferences osb->journal, causing a NULL pointer dereference. Fix this by adding a NULL check for osb->journal in ocfs2checkpointinode(). If the journal is NULL, it has already been fully flushed and destroyed during shutdown, so there is nothing to checkpoint.

Affected Software

161 affected componentsFixes available
ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.0*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-azure*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-azure-edge*
ubuntu/linux-gcp*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-gke-4.15*
ubuntu/linux-gke-5.4*
ubuntu/linux-gkeop-5.4*
ubuntu/linux-hwe*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge*
ubuntu/linux-oem*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.0*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-gke*
ubuntu/linux-gke-5.15*
ubuntu/linux-gkeop*
ubuntu/linux-gkeop-5.15*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-intel-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.10*
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.6*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-raspi2*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-allwinner-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-ibm-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-intel-iot-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.17*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.0*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.1*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-starfive-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-starfive-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-starfive-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.8*
ubuntu/linux<6.8.0-147.147
6.8.0-147.147
ubuntu/linux-aws<6.8.0-1067.70
6.8.0-1067.70
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-aws-7.0<7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1
7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-azure<6.8.0-1071.79
6.8.0-1071.79
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-azure-7.0<7.0.0-1017.17~24.04.1
7.0.0-1017.17~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde<6.8.0-1069.76
6.8.0-1069.76
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-7.0<7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1
7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia*
ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-gcp<6.8.0-1071.79
6.8.0-1071.79
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-7.0<7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1
7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-gke<6.8.0-1066.74
6.8.0-1066.74
ubuntu/linux-gkeop<6.8.0-1052.56
6.8.0-1052.56
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-7.0<7.0.0-38.38~24.04.4
7.0.0-38.38~24.04.4
ubuntu/linux-ibm<6.8.0-1067.68
6.8.0-1067.68
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency<6.8.0-147.147.1
6.8.0-147.147.1
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-7.0*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-lowlatency*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-oracle<6.8.0-1064.67
6.8.0-1064.67
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-7.0<7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1
7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-raspi*
ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-7.0<7.0.0-38.38.1~24.04.1
7.0.0-38.38.1~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-xilinx*
ubuntu/linux-bluefield<6.8.0-1033.38
6.8.0-1033.38
ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-realtime<6.8.1-1062.63
6.8.1-1062.63
ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.17*
ubuntu/linux-aws-fips<6.8.0-1067.70+fips1
6.8.0-1067.70+fips1
ubuntu/linux-azure-fips<6.8.0-1071.79+fips1
6.8.0-1071.79+fips1
ubuntu/linux-fips<6.8.0-147.147+fips1
6.8.0-147.147+fips1
ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips<6.8.0-1071.79+fips1
6.8.0-1071.79+fips1
ubuntu/linux<7.0.0-38.38
7.0.0-38.38
ubuntu/linux-aws<7.0.0-1014.14
7.0.0-1014.14
ubuntu/linux-azure<7.0.0-1017.17
7.0.0-1017.17
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde<7.0.0-1016.16
7.0.0-1016.16
ubuntu/linux-gcp<7.0.0-1014.14
7.0.0-1014.14
ubuntu/linux-gke<7.0.0-1008.9
7.0.0-1008.9
ubuntu/linux-ibm<7.0.0-1015.15
7.0.0-1015.15
ubuntu/linux-nvidia*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-bos*
ubuntu/linux-oem-7.0<7.0.0-1015.15
7.0.0-1015.15
ubuntu/linux-oracle<7.0.0-1013.13
7.0.0-1013.13
ubuntu/linux-raspi*
ubuntu/linux-realtime<7.0.0-38.38.1
7.0.0-38.38.1
ubuntu/linux-riscv<7.0.0-38.38.1
7.0.0-38.38.1

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.8.0-147.147
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1067.70
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1
  4. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1071.79
  5. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1017.17~24.04.1
  6. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fde to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1069.76
  7. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1016.16~24.04.1
  8. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1071.79
  9. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1014.14~24.04.1
  10. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gke to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1066.74
  11. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gkeop to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1052.56
  12. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-hwe-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-38.38~24.04.4
  13. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-ibm to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1067.68
  14. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-lowlatency to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-147.147.1
  15. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1064.67
  16. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1013.13~24.04.1
  17. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-riscv-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-38.38.1~24.04.1
  18. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-bluefield to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1033.38
  19. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-realtime to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.1-1062.63
  20. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1067.70+fips1
  21. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1071.79+fips1
  22. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-147.147+fips1
  23. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1071.79+fips1
  24. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 7.0.0-38.38
  25. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1014.14
  26. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1017.17
  27. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fde to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1016.16
  28. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1014.14
  29. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gke to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1008.9
  30. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-ibm to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1015.15
  31. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oem-7.0 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1015.15
  32. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-1013.13
  33. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-realtime to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-38.38.1
  34. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-riscv to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 7.0.0-38.38.1
  35. Compensating control

    Add a NULL check for osb->journal in ocfs2_checkpoint_inode(); if osb->journal is NULL, return without checkpointing because the journal was already flushed and destroyed during shutdown.

Event History

Aug 15, 2026
CVE Published
via OSV·06:21 AM
Data Sourced
via OSV·06:21 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

When can this issue be triggered?

It can occur during unmount after OCFS2 journal shutdown has freed the journal and set osb->journal to NULL, while VFS subsequently evicts cached inodes that remain.

2

What is the impact of the faulty path?

The remaining-inode eviction path can dereference the NULL journal pointer in ocfs2_checkpoint_inode(), resulting in a NULL pointer dereference.

3

What behavior does the fix introduce?

The fix checks whether osb->journal is NULL before checkpointing. A NULL journal indicates it was already flushed and destroyed during shutdown, so no checkpointing is needed.

Contact

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