---
title: "CVE-2026-98975: Linux Kernel XFS - Data Corruption"
description: "Linux kernel XFS filesystem contains a reflink flag handling vulnerability caused by incorrect flag exchange during file mapping exchanges, letting attackers cause data corruption by triggering in-place writes instead of copy-on-write, exploit requires use of reflink file operations."
url: https://panop.io/threat-heartbeat/CVE-2026-98975/
---

# CVE-2026-98975 Linux Kernel XFS - Data Corruption

Linux kernel XFS filesystem contains a reflink flag handling vulnerability caused by incorrect flag exchange during file mapping exchanges, letting attackers cause data corruption by triggering in-place writes instead of copy-on-write, exploit requires use of reflink file operations.

CVSS base score 7.8 /10

High

CISA KEV

Not listed

Public exploit

None known

Authentication

Required

EPSS

0.21% chance of exploitation in 30 days

[View the NVD record ↗](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98975)

## Details

Type

Data Corruption

Impact

Data Tampering

CVSS vector

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

Published

23 October 2026

Updated

25 October 2026

## Vendor fix

Update to the latest Linux kernel version containing the fix for reflink flag handling in XFS.

Patching closes this CVE. It does not tell you which of your systems run the affected version, or what else is exposed alongside them.

## References

- [https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98975](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-98975)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1fa2f3a7ef7ee0f2503a4b0afe24bc8c9d0820be](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1fa2f3a7ef7ee0f2503a4b0afe24bc8c9d0820be)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4756c94260e69ce42612b8220c3614f02f7a11d5](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4756c94260e69ce42612b8220c3614f02f7a11d5)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7d3b9b2c9dc57f93f36c716ab752548cb4db9900](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7d3b9b2c9dc57f93f36c716ab752548cb4db9900)
- [https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d84d6c1a7f1e2de9e601703a326a4c1b7b421943](https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d84d6c1a7f1e2de9e601703a326a4c1b7b421943)

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## What this record can't tell you

- Whether you run the affected software, and where
- Whether an attacker can actually reach and exploit it
- The misconfigurations that never get a CVE number
- What it would cost the business, ranked into what to fix first

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