---
id: "CVE-2026-99067"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-99067"]
title: "Linux kernel btrfs scrub leaks a filesystem root reference on error"
severity: "unknown"
cvss: null
epss: 0.00209
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "runtime"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["btrfs", "kernel", "linux", "runtime"]
not_affected_if: []
published_at: "2026-10-23T13:17:30+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:34+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T12:38:50+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-99067", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:34+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-99067", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-25T12:38:50+00:00"}]
---

# Linux kernel btrfs scrub leaks a filesystem root reference on error

When btrfs scrub fails to resolve a file path while printing a warning, the kernel does not release a reference it took to the filesystem root. Each such failure leaks one reference, which can slowly exhaust resources on a system that repeatedly hits this error.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:34+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-99067
- 2026-10-25T12:38:50+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-99067

## From the sources

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

btrfs: scrub: fix local_root reference leak in scrub_print_warning_inode()

When paths_from_inode() fails, scrub_print_warning_inode() jumps to err
without dropping the reference taken by btrfs_get_fs_root(), leaking a
reference to the root every time path resolution fails while printing
scrub warnings.  Every other error and success path of the function
drops the reference.

Drop the reference on the paths_from_inode() failure path too.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_