Linux KernelOperating system · Linux

CVE-2025-38219

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-07-04

Fix available

A fix is available. Upgrade to 5.4.295 / 5.10.239 or later.

See remediation →

57/100

Remediation priority · Elevated

Zero-click Patch available

Official description

NVD · unedited

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: f2fs: prevent kernel warning due to negative i_nlink from corrupted image WARNING: CPU: 1 PID: 9426 at fs/inode.c:417 drop_nlink+0xac/0xd0 home/cc/linux/fs/inode.c:417 Modules linked in: CPU: 1 UID: 0 PID: 9426 Comm: syz-executor568 Not tainted 6.14.0-12627-g94d471a4f428 #2 PREEMPT(full) Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.13.0-1ubuntu1.1 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:drop_nlink+0xac/0xd0 home/cc/linux/fs/inode.c:417 Code: 48 8b 5d 28 be 08 00 00 00 48 8d bb 70 07 00 00 e8 f9 67 e6 ff f0 48 ff 83 70 07 00 00 5b 5d e9 9a 12 82 ff e8 95 12 82 ff 90 <0f> 0b 90 c7 45 48 ff ff ff ff 5b 5d e9 83 12 82 ff e8 fe 5f e6 ff RSP: 0018:ffffc900026b7c28 EFLAGS: 00010293 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: ffffffff8239710f RDX: ffff888041345a00 RSI: ffffffff8239717b RDI: 0000000000000005 RBP: ffff888054509ad0 R08: 0000000000000005 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000000 R11: ffffffff9ab36f08 R12: ffff88804bb40000 R13: ffff8880545091e0 R14: 0000000000008000 R15: ffff8880545091e0 FS: 000055555d0c5880(0000) GS:ffff8880eb3e3000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 00007f915c55b178 CR3: 0000000050d20000 CR4: 0000000000352ef0 Call Trace: <task> f2fs_i_links_write home/cc/linux/fs/f2fs/f2fs.h:3194 [inline] f2fs_drop_nlink+0xd1/0x3c0 home/cc/linux/fs/f2fs/dir.c:845 f2fs_delete_entry+0x542/0x1450 home/cc/linux/fs/f2fs/dir.c:909 f2fs_unlink+0x45c/0x890 home/cc/linux/fs/f2fs/namei.c:581 vfs_unlink+0x2fb/0x9b0 home/cc/linux/fs/namei.c:4544 do_unlinkat+0x4c5/0x6a0 home/cc/linux/fs/namei.c:4608 __do_sys_unlink home/cc/linux/fs/namei.c:4654 [inline] __se_sys_unlink home/cc/linux/fs/namei.c:4652 [inline] __x64_sys_unlink+0xc5/0x110 home/cc/linux/fs/namei.c:4652 do_syscall_x64 home/cc/linux/arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:63 [inline] do_syscall_64+0xc7/0x250 home/cc/linux/arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:94 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f RIP: 0033:0x7fb3d092324b Code: 73 01 c3 48 c7 c1 c0 ff ff ff f7 d8 64 89 01 48 83 c8 ff c3 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 90 f3 0f 1e fa b8 57 00 00 00 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 c7 c1 c0 ff ff ff f7 d8 64 89 01 48 RSP: 002b:00007ffdc232d938 EFLAGS: 00000206 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000057 RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 00007fb3d092324b RDX: 00007ffdc232d960 RSI: 00007ffdc232d960 RDI: 00007ffdc232d9f0 RBP: 00007ffdc232d9f0 R08: 0000000000000001 R09: 00007ffdc232d7c0 R10: 00000000fffffffd R11: 0000000000000206 R12: 00007ffdc232eaf0 R13: 000055555d0cebb0 R14: 00007ffdc232d958 R15: 0000000000000001 </task>

Technical summary

dbcve analysis

A detailed technical summary for this CVE is being prepared.

Affected products & versions

NVD · CPE data

Linux KernelOperating system

Affected:>= 3.8, < 5.4.295>= 5.5, < 5.10.239>= 5.11, < 5.15.186>= 5.16, < 6.1.142>= 6.2, < 6.6.95>= 6.7, < 6.12.35>= 6.13, < 6.15.4

Debian LinuxOperating system

Affected:= 11.0

CVSS breakdown

From the vector

Attack vector: Local
Complexity: Low
Privileges: Low
User interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: None
Integrity: None
Availability: High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Remediation

dbcve · scoped

Upgrade available Upgrade to 5.4.295 / 5.10.239 / 5.15.186 or later

Fixed in 5.4.2955.10.2395.15.186

Vendor patch git.kernel.org →

Recommended fix High confidence

Linux Kernel 5.4.295+, 5.10.239+, 5.15.186+, or 6.1.142+ (depending on which branch is in use)

Identify the currently running kernel version using `uname -r`
Check which kernel series (5.4.x, 5.10.x, 5.15.x, or 6.1.x) the system is using
Upgrade to a kernel version that includes the fix: for 5.4.x series use >= 5.4.295, for 5.10.x use >= 5.10.239, for 5.15.x use >= 5.15.186, for 6.1.x use >= 6.1.142
On Debian 11 (bullseye), apply vendor security updates: run `apt update && apt upgrade` to get the patched kernel
Reboot into the new kernel after upgrade
Verify the fix by checking kernel version with `uname -r`

Caveat Kernel upgrades may require system reboot and could introduce compatibility issues with out-of-tree kernel modules or proprietary drivers

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

We can perform the upgrade in your staging environment and verify nothing breaks — typical engagement from $1,600. Get the upgrade done

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally

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References

Primary sources

git.kernel.orgPatch / commit
git.kernel.orgPatch
git.kernel.orgPatch
git.kernel.orgPatch
git.kernel.orgPatch
git.kernel.orgPatch
git.kernel.orgPatch
git.kernel.orgPatch
git.kernel.orgPatch
lists.debian.orgMailing ListThird Party Advisory
lists.debian.orgMailing ListThird Party Advisory
nvd.nist.govNVD record

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-38219 in production — separate from our analysis above.

Notes0 Guidelines

Know something about CVE-2025-38219?

The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.

The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
A config change or rule that shut the vector down
A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon

No notes yet

Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.

What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here

Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data

At a glance

A fix existsUpgrade to 5.4.295 / 5.10.239 or later

Severity 5.5 Medium

Exploit likelihood EPSS, next 30 days 0.2%

Affects: Linux Kernel

Remediation

Need this fixed?

Get a fix

Estimated effortfrom ~9 hrs

ComplexityModerate

Typical engagementfrom $1,600

What a fix involves

We scope it with you and confirm a fixed quote
A specialist builds a reviewed fix
You deploy it to staging first
Optional re-test once it’s live

We specialise in CVE remediation. Send your environment and we’ll scope CVE-2025-38219 and return a fixed quote.

You’ll deal with our team directly and deploy the reviewed fix to staging first — never straight to production.

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

Scan for this in your stack

References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Practitioner notes

No notes yet

Official description

Technical summary

Affected products & versions

CVSS breakdown

Remediation

References