CVE-2026-97902

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs: don't return -EINVAL for successful nested thaw Commit 7366f8b6fc6a ("fs: handle freezing from multiple devices") replaced the freeze_holders bitmask with per-holder counters to allow nested freezes. In the bitmask version, a thaw that released a shared hold while another holder remained returned 0. Since the rework, thaw_super_locked() drops the freeze reference via freeze_dec() but then returns -EINVAL when other freezers remain, misinforming the caller: the thaw did succeed, the superblock just stays frozen for the remaining holders. This breaks bdev-initiated freezing. When a filesystem is frozen with FIFREEZE and additionally frozen via bdev_freeze() -- which nests by design, see fs_bdev_freeze() -- the subsequent bdev_thaw() receives -EINVAL from the holder op although its freeze reference was dropped, and therefore keeps bd_fsfreeze_count elevated. Then device-mapper's unlock_fs() ignores bdev_thaw()'s return value, so nothing rebalances the count. After the user's FITHAW and umount, the block device can never be mounted again: dm-1: Can't mount, blockdev is frozen There is no way for userspace to drop t