CVE-2026-98079

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: zstd: fix lost wakeup when waiting for a workspace A writer can sleep forever in zstd_get_workspace() even though a workspace is free. When zstd_alloc_workspace() fails, the task is queued on zwsm->wait and schedules unconditionally, never re-testing the pool. zstd_put_workspace() publishes the workspace and then calls cond_wake_up(), which only wakes when a sleeper is already visible, so a workspace returned between the failed allocation and prepare_to_wait() wakes nobody. The window is wide: zstd_alloc_workspace() goes through kvmalloc() and may enter reclaim. Only a max level workspace triggers the wakeup and one is deliberately kept allocated as the fallback every waiter waits for, so once its wakeup is lost the writer stays in TASK_UNINTERRUPTIBLE until some other task happens to return one. Re-check the pool after prepare_to_wait() has published the waiter, and use the workspace if one turned up.

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2026-09-25
Last modified 2026-09-30
Patch available
Yes

Affected versions

Linux kernel versions 5.1 and later are affected. Fixed in 6.18.53, 7.2.7, 7.3-rc2 and their respective stable series.

Affected from
≥ 5.1
Fixed in
✓ 6.18.53 6.18.x ✓ 7.2.7 7.2.x ✓ 7.3-rc2

Frequently asked questions

  • What is CVE-2026-98079?

    CVE-2026-98079 is a unscored severity Linux kernel vulnerability . It affects Linux kernel versions from 5.1 onward and has been patched in 6.18.53, 7.2.7 and 7.3-rc2. CVE-2026-98079 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-98079?

    Yes. CVE-2026-98079 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.18.53, 7.2.7 and 7.3-rc2. If you are running Linux kernel 5.1 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

  • Is CVE-2026-98079 actively exploited?

    No. CVE-2026-98079 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.