Improper Resource Locking Affecting kernel6.18-headers package, versions <1:6.18.56-125.164.amzn2023


Severity

Recommended
high

Based on Amazon Linux security rating.

Threat Intelligence

EPSS
0.15% (5th percentile)

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  • Snyk IDSNYK-AMZN2023-KERNEL618HEADERS-21803854
  • published29 Oct 2026
  • disclosed18 Oct 2026

Introduced: 18 Oct 2026

NewCVE-2026-98543  (opens in a new tab)
CWE-413  (opens in a new tab)

How to fix?

Upgrade Amazon-Linux:2023 kernel6.18-headers to version 1:6.18.56-125.164.amzn2023 or higher.
This issue was patched in ALAS2023-2026-3251.

NVD Description

Note: Versions mentioned in the description apply only to the upstream kernel6.18-headers package and not the kernel6.18-headers package as distributed by Amazon-Linux. See How to fix? for Amazon-Linux:2023 relevant fixed versions and status.

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

bpf: fs/xattr: don't assume the inode is locked in path_unlink/path_rmdir

bpf_lsm_has_d_inode_locked() makes the verifier rewrite bpf_[set|remove]_dentry_xattr() to the _locked variants, which assume that the caller already holds the inode's i_rwsem. The path_unlink and path_rmdir hooks are listed, but security_path_unlink() and security_path_rmdir() run before vfs_unlink()/vfs_rmdir() take the victim inode's i_rwsem, so a sleepable BPF LSM program attached to either hook mutates the victim's xattrs without the lock held.

Drop the two path hooks from d_inode_locked_hooks so that the verifier keeps the locking bpf_[set|remove]_dentry_xattr() variants, which take the lock themselves.

CVSS Base Scores

version 3.1