CVE-2025-38365Network attack vector

Permanent file deletion via unsynchronized directory logging

Published Jul 25, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Race condition in Btrfs directory logging in Linux allows remote attackers to delete files via concurrent rename and fsync operations. btrfs_log_all_parents() logs a directory after __btrfs_unlink_inode() removes the old entry but before btrfs_add_link() inserts the new entry. Ordinary write access to a Btrfs-backed SMB or NFS export is sufficient, and an unclean shutdown makes replay unlink the last name and permanently lose the file.

CVSS severity9.1
Critical
EPSS probability0.30%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Race condition in Btrfs directory logging in Linux allows remote attackers to delete files via concurrent rename and fsync operations. btrfs_log_all_parents() logs a directory after __btrfs_unlink_inode() removes the old entry but before btrfs_add_link() inserts the new entry. Ordinary write access to a Btrfs-backed SMB or NFS export is sufficient, and an unclean shutdown makes replay unlink the last name and permanently lose the file.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38365
Published
Jul 25, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-362, T1485
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 25, 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=259c4b96d78dda8477a3ac21d6b3cf0eb9f75c8b <2088895d5903082bb9021770b919e733c57edbc1
  2. Affected versionversion=259c4b96d78dda8477a3ac21d6b3cf0eb9f75c8b <3ca864de852bc91007b32d2a0d48993724f4abad
  3. Affected versionversion=259c4b96d78dda8477a3ac21d6b3cf0eb9f75c8b <51bd363c7010d033d3334daf457c824484bf9bf0
  4. Affected versionversion=259c4b96d78dda8477a3ac21d6b3cf0eb9f75c8b <8c6874646c21bd820cf475e2874e62c133954023
  5. Affected versionversion=259c4b96d78dda8477a3ac21d6b3cf0eb9f75c8b <aeeae8feeaae4445a86f9815273e81f902dc1f5b
  6. Affected versionversion=5.18

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=259c4b96d78dda8477a3ac21d6b3cf0eb9f75c8b <2088895d5903082bb9021770b919e733c57edbc1; version=259c4b96d78dda8477a3ac21d6b3cf0eb9f75c8b <3ca864de852bc91007b32d2a0d48993724f4abad; version=259c4b96d78dda8477a3ac21d6b3cf0eb9f75c8b <51bd363c7010d033d3334daf457c824484bf9bf0; version=259c4b96d78dda8477a3ac21d6b3cf0eb9f75c8b <8c6874646c21bd820cf475e2874e62c133954023; version=259c4b96d78dda8477a3ac21d6b3cf0eb9f75c8b <aeeae8feeaae4445a86f9815273e81f902dc1f5b; version=5.18

Published CVSS scores

4.7NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
9.1kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
T1485Data Destruction

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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