CVE-2025-68264

Kernel crash via stale inline-data capacity

Published Dec 16, 2025 · Updated Dec 16, 2025

Race condition in Linux ext4 inline-data writes allows local users to crash the kernel by racing file writes against xattr changes. Concurrent xattr modification after the initial check leaves ei->i_inline_size stale when ext4_update_inline_data() or ext4_create_inline_data() writes under xattr_sem. Low-privileged local access and an ext4 filesystem using inline data are required; a successful race triggers BUG_ON() in ext4_write_inline_data() and halts the kernel.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.22%
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 Linux ext4 inline-data writes allows local users to crash the kernel by racing file writes against xattr changes. Concurrent xattr modification after the initial check leaves ei->i_inline_size stale when ext4_update_inline_data() or ext4_create_inline_data() writes under xattr_sem. Low-privileged local access and an ext4 filesystem using inline data are required; a successful race triggers BUG_ON() in ext4_write_inline_data() and halts the kernel.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-68264
Published
Dec 16, 2025
Updated
Dec 16, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 16, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 16, 2025Record 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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <210ac60a86a3ad2c76ae60e0dc71c34af6e7ea0b
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <58df743faf21ceb1880f930aa5dd428e2a5e415d
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <892e1cf17555735e9d021ab036c36bc7b58b0e3b
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ca43ea29b4c4d2764aec8a26cffcfb677a871e6e

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <210ac60a86a3ad2c76ae60e0dc71c34af6e7ea0b; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <58df743faf21ceb1880f930aa5dd428e2a5e415d; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <892e1cf17555735e9d021ab036c36bc7b58b0e3b; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ca43ea29b4c4d2764aec8a26cffcfb677a871e6e

Published CVSS scores

5.8SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
5.5Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.3SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/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)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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