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CVE-2025-38580· NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

ext4: fix inode use after free in ext4_end_io_rsv_work()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: fix inode use after free in ext4_end_io_rsv_work() In ext4_io_end_defer_completion(), check if io_end->list_vec is empty to avoid adding an io_end that requires no conversion to the i_rsv_conversion_list, which in turn prevents starting an unnecessary worker. An ext4_emergency_state() check is also added to avoid attempting to abort the journal in an emergency state. Additionally, ext4_put_io_end_defer() is refactored to call ext4_io_end_defer_completion() directly instead of being open-coded. This also prevents starting an unnecessary worker when EXT4_IO_END_FAILED is set but data_err=abort is not enabled. This ensures that the check in ext4_put_io_end_defer() is consistent with the check in ext4_end_bio(). Otherwise, we might add an io_end to the i_rsv_conversion_list and then call ext4_finish_bio(), after which the inode could be freed before ext4_end_io_rsv_work() is called, triggering a use-after-free issue.

HighCVSS 7.8 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Aug 19, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
EPSS
0.2% · 5th percentile
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Report tools

JSON

Action score

31

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
31 / 40 · 7.8 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.2%

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
7.8
CNA · Linux
7.8
agree

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Affected systems

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • linux linux kernel6.15 and later · before 6.15.10
  • linux linux kernel6.16 and later · before 6.16.1

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Linux Linux

    • 6.15affected
    • ce51afb8cc5e1867ea0dfdf5e92ddbe31a1fad5d and later · before ac999862b98a0f49e858e509f776be51406f1e77affected · git
    • ce51afb8cc5e1867ea0dfdf5e92ddbe31a1fad5d and later · before 469c44e66e2110054949609dde095788320139d0affected · git
    • ce51afb8cc5e1867ea0dfdf5e92ddbe31a1fad5d and later · before c678bdc998754589cea2e6afab9401d7d8312ac4affected · git
    • before 6.15not affected · semver
    • 6.15.10 and later · up to and including 6.15.*not affected · semver
    • 6.16.1 and later · up to and including 6.16.*not affected · semver
    • 6.17 and laternot affected · original_commit_for_fix

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Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Linux Linux469c44e66e2110054949609dde095788320139d0Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxac999862b98a0f49e858e509f776be51406f1e77Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxc678bdc998754589cea2e6afab9401d7d8312ac4Vendor (CNA)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-416 · Use After Free

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

nvd-primary

Root cause

After a memory region is freed, another reference pointing to it is still used. By then, the same region may have been allocated for different data.

A representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.

Vulnerable

c
free(dev->buf);/* ... another thread is still running ... */process(dev->buf);

Fixed

c
lock(&dev->lock);free(dev->buf);dev->buf = NULL;unlock(&dev->lock);

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Noroxi analysis

No Noroxi analysis for this record yet

We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.

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Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

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References

All records