CVE-2025-38578

Kernel memory corruption via stale dirty-inode entry

Published Aug 19, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel F2FS inode code from 4.8 allows local users to crash the system through a crafted F2FS image. f2fs_evict_inode leaves an evicted inode on the global DIRTY_META list when FI_DIRTY_INODE is not cleared, so f2fs_sync_inode_meta dereferences the freed inode during checkpointing. An attacker needs local access to a mounted F2FS volume and ordinary file operations; successful triggering can corrupt kernel memory or panic the system.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel F2FS inode code from 4.8 allows local users to crash the system through a crafted F2FS image. f2fs_evict_inode leaves an evicted inode on the global DIRTY_META list when FI_DIRTY_INODE is not cleared, so f2fs_sync_inode_meta dereferences the freed inode during checkpointing. An attacker needs local access to a mounted F2FS volume and ordinary file operations; successful triggering can corrupt kernel memory or panic the system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38578
Published
Aug 19, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 19, 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=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <1edf68272b8cba2b2817ef1488ecb9f0f84cb6a0
  2. Affected versionversion=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <37e78cad7e9e025e63bb35bc200f44637b009bb1
  3. Affected versionversion=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <3d37cadaac1a8e108e576297aab9125b24ea2dfe
  4. Affected versionversion=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <4dcd830c420f2190ae32f03626039fde7b57b2ad
  5. Affected versionversion=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <6cac47af39b2b8edbb41d47c3bd9c332f83e9932
  6. Affected versionversion=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <7c30d79930132466f5be7d0b57add14d1a016bda
  7. Affected versionversion=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <917ae5e280bc263f56c83fba0d0f0be2c4828083
  8. Affected versionversion=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <a4b0cc9e0bba7525a29f37714e88df12a47997a2
  9. Affected versionversion=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <dea243f58a8391e76f42ad5eb59ff210519ee772
  10. Affected versionversion=4.8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <1edf68272b8cba2b2817ef1488ecb9f0f84cb6a0; version=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <37e78cad7e9e025e63bb35bc200f44637b009bb1; version=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <3d37cadaac1a8e108e576297aab9125b24ea2dfe; version=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <4dcd830c420f2190ae32f03626039fde7b57b2ad; version=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <6cac47af39b2b8edbb41d47c3bd9c332f83e9932; version=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <7c30d79930132466f5be7d0b57add14d1a016bda; version=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <917ae5e280bc263f56c83fba0d0f0be2c4828083; version=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <a4b0cc9e0bba7525a29f37714e88df12a47997a2; version=0f18b462b2e5aff64b8638e8a47284b907351ef3 <dea243f58a8391e76f42ad5eb59ff210519ee772; version=4.8

Published CVSS scores

7.8LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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