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

btrfs: fix use-after-free warning in btrfs_get_or_create_delayed_node()

Previously, btrfs_get_or_create_delayed_node() set the delayed_node's
refcount before acquiring the root->delayed_nodes lock.
Commit e8513c012de7 ("btrfs: implement ref_tracker for delayed_nodes")
moved refcount_set inside the critical section, which means there is
no longer a memory barrier between setting the refcount and setting
btrfs_inode->delayed_node.

Without that barrier, the stores to node->refs and
btrfs_inode->delayed_node may become visible out of order. Another
thread can then read btrfs_inode->delayed_node and attempt to
increment a refcount that hasn't been set yet, leading to a
refcounting bug and a use-after-free warning.

The fix is to move refcount_set back to where it was to take
advantage of the implicit memory barrier provided by lock
acquisition.

Because the allocations now happen outside of the lock's critical
section, they can use GFP_NOFS instead of GFP_ATOMIC.
Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: fix use-after-free warning in btrfs_get_or_create_delayed_node() Previously, btrfs_get_or_create_delayed_node() set the delayed_node's refcount before acquiring the root->delayed_nodes lock. Commit e8513c012de7 ("btrfs: implement ref_tracker for delayed_nodes") moved refcount_set inside the critical section, which means there is no longer a memory barrier between setting the refcount and setting btrfs_inode->delayed_node. Without that barrier, the stores to node->refs and btrfs_inode->delayed_node may become visible out of order. Another thread can then read btrfs_inode->delayed_node and attempt to increment a refcount that hasn't been set yet, leading to a refcounting bug and a use-after-free warning. The fix is to move refcount_set back to where it was to take advantage of the implicit memory barrier provided by lock acquisition. Because the allocations now happen outside of the lock's critical section, they can use GFP_NOFS instead of GFP_ATOMIC.
Title btrfs: fix use-after-free warning in btrfs_get_or_create_delayed_node()
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Projects

Sign in to view the affected projects.

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-01-23T15:23:57.824Z

Reserved: 2026-01-13T15:30:19.665Z

Link: CVE-2025-71159

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-01-23T16:15:52.793

Modified: 2026-01-23T16:15:52.793

Link: CVE-2025-71159

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

No weakness.