CVE-2025-38204

Kernel data disclosure and panic via signed index

Published Jul 4, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Out-of-bounds access in JFS on affected Linux releases allows attackers to disclose kernel data and panic the host via a crafted image. add_missing_indices treats signed stbl entries as slot offsets without rejecting negative values, producing out-of-bounds reads and writes around a metapage. A user or automounter must mount the malicious JFS image read-write; listing its directory can copy heap data into the journal, corrupt kernel state, or panic the host.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds access in JFS on affected Linux releases allows attackers to disclose kernel data and panic the host via a crafted image. add_missing_indices treats signed stbl entries as slot offsets without rejecting negative values, producing out-of-bounds reads and writes around a metapage. A user or automounter must mount the malicious JFS image read-write; listing its directory can copy heap data into the journal, corrupt kernel state, or panic the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38204
Published
Jul 4, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-125, T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 4, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <44618bee303bed151ef3a525ff79fbd7689593b5
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5dff41a86377563f7a2b968aae00d25b4ceb37c9
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <81af4b34fd72d390d7f237c6a545cc6d09707956
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <bfa4655d28f338e68d345aed80d19be7999bbce2
  5. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <c8399564a58fb6ea2ff21a6fd278417943cb51a5
  6. Affected versionversion=2.6.12

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <44618bee303bed151ef3a525ff79fbd7689593b5; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5dff41a86377563f7a2b968aae00d25b4ceb37c9; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <81af4b34fd72d390d7f237c6a545cc6d09707956; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <bfa4655d28f338e68d345aed80d19be7999bbce2; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <c8399564a58fb6ea2ff21a6fd278417943cb51a5; version=2.6.12

Published CVSS scores

7.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
7.8Linux kernel CVE teamCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-125Out-of-bounds Read
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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