The Linux kernel bug in the XFS file system causes the NOFS context to be cleared when a transaction commit fails, but the context is only restored on the success path. This omission removes protection against nonfile operations and creates a circular lock dependency between the non‑directory inode lock class and the file system reclamation lock. If the system hits the error path during a transaction roll‑back, the scheduler can deadlock waiting for the two locks, leading to a system halt or degraded performance. The vulnerability cannot be exploited remotely; it requires kernel code changes or local privileged influence but the effect is a denial of Service by freezing kernel threads.

Affected systems are Linux kernel implementations that use the XFS file system. The precise kernel version numbers that contain the flaw are not listed; any Linux kernel prior to the commit that fixed the issue is potentially vulnerable. The fix is addressed in the kernel source by moving the NOFS context restoration before the error check in xfs_trans_roll.

The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) for this issue is not supplied; however the severity is high because a live kernel can deadlock, halting system operations. The Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) is not available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. The attack vector is confined to local kernel context and would require an attacker with sufficient privileges to trigger transaction failures or execute code that induces the error path. Consequently, the risk remains significant for systems that run XFS and have not applied the latest kernel update.