Kernel panic via uninitialized HFS extent tree
Published Sep 4, 2025 · Updated May 23, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel HFS driver allows local users to crash the system by mounting a crafted HFS image. During HFS tree construction, hfs_btree_open calls the extent-read path before ext_tree is initialized, and hfs_find_init dereferences the resulting NULL tree pointer. Local access and the ability to mount the image are required; successful triggering causes a fatal kernel panic and service interruption.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel HFS driver allows local users to crash the system by mounting a crafted HFS image. During HFS tree construction, hfs_btree_open calls the extent-read path before ext_tree is initialized, and hfs_find_init dereferences the resulting NULL tree pointer. Local access and the ability to mount the image are required; successful triggering causes a fatal kernel panic and service interruption.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-38716
- Published
- Sep 4, 2025
- Updated
- May 23, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 4, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 23, 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.
- Affected versionversion=2.6.27.60 <2.6.28
- Affected versionversion=2.6.32.51 <2.6.33
- Affected versionversion=2.6.34.14 <2.6.35
- Affected versionversion=3.0.14 <3.1
- Affected versionversion=3.1.6 <3.2
- Affected versionversion=3.2
- Affected versionversion=34456bfafc2743a19eb148d56502f9a8c0dc6fcc
- Affected versionversion=3db7e32f7521df6f9b64a9b04abb00dd11ca5735
- Affected versionversion=434a964daa14b9db083ce20404a4a2add54d037a <4f032979b63ad52e08aadf0faeac34ed35133ec0
- Affected versionversion=434a964daa14b9db083ce20404a4a2add54d037a <5d8b249527362e0ccafcaf76b3bec2a0d2aa1498
- Affected versionversion=434a964daa14b9db083ce20404a4a2add54d037a <6e20e10064fdc43231636fca519c15c013a8e3d6
- Affected versionversion=434a964daa14b9db083ce20404a4a2add54d037a <736a0516a16268995f4898eded49bfef077af709
- Affected versionversion=434a964daa14b9db083ce20404a4a2add54d037a <b918c17a1934ac6309b0083f41d4e9d8fb3bb46c
- Affected versionversion=70f2545d9e75f9d8ed4bfe0a6efa232abd88806e
- Affected versionversion=9d6b8fa025237243e1782c358c83f20062d39fbe
- Affected versionversion=9f0f2bb728f4e87568f89a5603f7d3b76ef6a3b9
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- hfs_find_init Syzkaller reproducerproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
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