Go to homepageCyberStrike

Menu

Star on GitHub · 3.2k
Sign inDownload

CVE-2026-46040

5.5 · MEDIUM

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: inotify: fix watch count leak when fsnotify_add_inode_mark_locked() fails When fsnotify_add_inode_mark_locked() fails in inotif…

Published May 27, 2026EPSS 0.17%

Overview

CVE-2026-46040 is a medium-severity vulnerability. It was published on May 27, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5, rated MEDIUM. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.

Technical description

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

inotify: fix watch count leak when fsnotify_add_inode_mark_locked() fails

When fsnotify_add_inode_mark_locked() fails in inotify_new_watch(),

the error path calls inotify_remove_from_idr() but does not call

dec_inotify_watches() to undo the preceding inc_inotify_watches().

This leaks a watch count, and repeated failures can exhaust the

max_user_watches limit with -ENOSPC even when no watches are active.

Prior to commit 1cce1eea0aff ("inotify: Convert to using per-namespace

limits"), the watch count was incremented after fsnotify_add_mark_locked()

succeeded, so this path was not affected. The conversion moved

inc_inotify_watches() before the mark insertion without adding the

corresponding rollback.

Add the missing dec_inotify_watches() call in the error path.

Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

References

Refgit.kernel.org/stable/c/10edf7e0ffdc7faa18e2244b17722c1b882b8273Refgit.kernel.org/stable/c/3ab58cf42c46bf2366d2f55ae5c59299d5e178b7Refgit.kernel.org/stable/c/3ad9ccea1b25435f6179b57aa891960beb7ce8f9Refgit.kernel.org/stable/c/6a320935fa4293e9e599ec9f85dc9eb3be7029f8Refgit.kernel.org/stable/c/73ddc8518a32baff6bc17afda4ee1ebae5b4ed12Refgit.kernel.org/stable/c/8bcc1cd237ab5ccfdd102869fa031c541943cf40Refgit.kernel.org/stable/c/9e48844f708eb48bae4e79cb21edc097c966306dRefgit.kernel.org/stable/c/fdaa42ca370d056428e5e171247c8fdce8dff36a

How CyberStrike helps

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-46040?

CVE-2026-46040 is a medium-severity vulnerability. It was published on May 27, 2026 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2026-46040?

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5, rated MEDIUM. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.

How do I fix or remediate CVE-2026-46040?

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2026-46040?

CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2026-46040 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.

Related MEDIUM CVEs from 2026

View all
Browse by year2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999