Kernel crash via unchecked HFS+ inode mode
Published Jan 13, 2026 · Updated Jan 13, 2026
Improper inode validation in Linux Kernel 2.6.12 and later allows local users to crash the kernel through a crafted HFS+ image. The HFS+ inode loader copies corrupted 16-bit mode type bits into inode->i_mode without checking them against the directory flag or valid file types. Triggering the kernel BUG requires mounting the crafted filesystem and opening an affected inode, interrupting the host.
Summary
What happened
Improper inode validation in Linux Kernel 2.6.12 and later allows local users to crash the kernel through a crafted HFS+ image. The HFS+ inode loader copies corrupted 16-bit mode type bits into inode->i_mode without checking them against the directory flag or valid file types. Triggering the kernel BUG requires mounting the crafted filesystem and opening an affected inode, interrupting the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-68767
- Published
- Jan 13, 2026
- Updated
- Jan 13, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 13, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jan 13, 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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <001f44982587ad462b3002ee40c75e8df67d597d
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <005d4b0d33f6b4a23d382b7930f7a96b95b01f39
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <05ec9af3cc430683c97f76027e1c55ac6fd25c59
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <91f114bffa36ce56d0e1f60a0a44fc09baaefc79
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <edfb2e602b5ba5ca6bf31cbac20b366efb72b156
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
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
- syzbot C and syz reproducer for kernel BUG in may_openproof of concept · demonstrated
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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