CVE-2025-38269

Kernel crash via cached error-pointer dereference

Published Jul 10, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in affected Linux kernel btrfs builds allows local users to crash the kernel during extent conversion. After insert_state() returns an error pointer, btrfs_convert_extent_bit() calls extent_io_tree_panic() but, when CONFIG_BUG is disabled, falls through and passes that pointer to cache_state(). The path requires local filesystem activity and the uncommon CONFIG_BUG-disabled configuration; the resulting invalid memory access interrupts the host.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.16%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in affected Linux kernel btrfs builds allows local users to crash the kernel during extent conversion. After insert_state() returns an error pointer, btrfs_convert_extent_bit() calls extent_io_tree_panic() but, when CONFIG_BUG is disabled, falls through and passes that pointer to cache_state(). The path requires local filesystem activity and the uncommon CONFIG_BUG-disabled configuration; the resulting invalid memory access interrupts the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38269
Published
Jul 10, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 10, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 11, 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=6.7
  2. Affected versionversion=c91ea4bfa6dda549295ea7c15dfc990094d1fcd3 <3bf179e36da917c5d9bec71c714573ed1649b7c1
  3. Affected versionversion=c91ea4bfa6dda549295ea7c15dfc990094d1fcd3 <58c50f45e1821a04d61b62514f9bd34afe67c622
  4. Affected versionversion=c91ea4bfa6dda549295ea7c15dfc990094d1fcd3 <8d9d32088e304e2bc444a3087cab0bbbd9951866

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.7; version=c91ea4bfa6dda549295ea7c15dfc990094d1fcd3 <3bf179e36da917c5d9bec71c714573ed1649b7c1; version=c91ea4bfa6dda549295ea7c15dfc990094d1fcd3 <58c50f45e1821a04d61b62514f9bd34afe67c622; version=c91ea4bfa6dda549295ea7c15dfc990094d1fcd3 <8d9d32088e304e2bc444a3087cab0bbbd9951866

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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