Unity Linux 20.1050e Security Update: kernel (UTSA-2026-021638)

high Nessus Plugin ID 315886

Synopsis

The Unity Linux host is missing one or more security updates.

Description

The Unity Linux 20 host has a package installed that is affected by a vulnerability as referenced in the UTSA-2026-021638 advisory.

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

btrfs: fix use-after-free when COWing tree bock and tracing is enabled

When a COWing a tree block, at btrfs_cow_block(), and we have the tracepoint trace_btrfs_cow_block() enabled and preemption is also enabled (CONFIG_PREEMPT=y), we can trigger a use-after-free in the COWed extent buffer while inside the tracepoint code. This is because in some paths that call btrfs_cow_block(), such as btrfs_search_slot(), we are holding the last reference on the extent buffer @buf so btrfs_force_cow_block() drops the last reference on the @buf extent buffer when it calls free_extent_buffer_stale(buf), which schedules the release of the extent buffer with RCU. This means that if we are on a kernel with preemption, the current task may be preempted before calling trace_btrfs_cow_block() and the extent buffer already released by the time trace_btrfs_cow_block() is called, resulting in a use-after-free.

Fix this by moving the trace_btrfs_cow_block() from btrfs_cow_block() to btrfs_force_cow_block() before the COWed extent buffer is freed.
This also has a side effect of invoking the tracepoint in the tree defrag code, at defrag.c:btrfs_realloc_node(), since btrfs_force_cow_block() is called there, but this is fine and it was actually missing there.

Tenable has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Unity Linux security advisory.

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

Solution

Update the affected kernel package.

Plugin Details

Severity: High

ID: 315886

File Name: unity_linux_UTSA-2026-021638.nasl

Version: 1.1

Type: Local

Family: Unity Linux Local Security Checks

Published: 5/20/2026

Updated: 5/20/2026

Supported Sensors: Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Medium

Score: 6.7

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 6.8

Temporal Score: 5

Vector: CVSS2#AV:L/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C

CVSS Score Source: CVE-2024-56759

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 7.8

Temporal Score: 6.8

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Temporal Vector: CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

Vulnerability Information

Required KB Items: Host/local_checks_enabled, Host/UOS-Server/release, Host/UOS-Server/rpm-list, Host/cpu

Exploit Ease: No known exploits are available

Patch Publication Date: 5/21/2026

Vulnerability Publication Date: 1/6/2025

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2024-56759

Detections

Analytics