CVE-2025-38663Public exploit

Kernel crash via invalid nilfs2 inode type

Published Aug 22, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Improper inode validation in Linux nilfs2 from 2.6.30 allows local users to crash the kernel via a malformed filesystem image. The __nilfs_read_inode function treats an unrecognized on-disk i_mode file type as a special inode and passes it to VFS instead of returning a filesystem error. Reaching the flaw requires local access to a crafted nilfs2 image; the demonstrated consequence is an assertion failure that interrupts the host.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
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

Improper inode validation in Linux nilfs2 from 2.6.30 allows local users to crash the kernel via a malformed filesystem image. The __nilfs_read_inode function treats an unrecognized on-disk i_mode file type as a special inode and passes it to VFS instead of returning a filesystem error. Reaching the flaw requires local access to a crafted nilfs2 image; the demonstrated consequence is an assertion failure that interrupts the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38663
Published
Aug 22, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 22, 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=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <1a5c204e175a78556b8ef1f7683249fa5197295a
  2. Affected versionversion=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <2cf0c4130bf340be3935d097a3dcbfefdcf65815
  3. Affected versionversion=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <42cd46b3a8b1497b9258dc7ac445dbd6beb73e2f
  4. Affected versionversion=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <4aead50caf67e01020c8be1945c3201e8a972a27
  5. Affected versionversion=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <79663a15a1c70ca84f86f2dbba07b423fe7d5d4f
  6. Affected versionversion=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <98872a934ea6a95985fb6a3655a78a5f0c114e82
  7. Affected versionversion=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <bf585ee198bba4ff25b0d80a0891df4656cb0d08
  8. Affected versionversion=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <dd298c0b889acd3ecaf48b6e840c9ab91882e342
  9. Affected versionversion=2.6.30

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <1a5c204e175a78556b8ef1f7683249fa5197295a; version=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <2cf0c4130bf340be3935d097a3dcbfefdcf65815; version=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <42cd46b3a8b1497b9258dc7ac445dbd6beb73e2f; version=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <4aead50caf67e01020c8be1945c3201e8a972a27; version=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <79663a15a1c70ca84f86f2dbba07b423fe7d5d4f; version=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <98872a934ea6a95985fb6a3655a78a5f0c114e82; version=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <bf585ee198bba4ff25b0d80a0891df4656cb0d08; version=05fe58fdc10df9ebea04c0eaed57adc47af5c184 <dd298c0b889acd3ecaf48b6e840c9ab91882e342; version=2.6.30

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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

Public exploit references

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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