Linux Kernel up to 6.15.3 ext4 File fs/ext4/inline.c ext4_prepare_inline_data integer overflow

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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4.8$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.15.3. It has been declared as problematic. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the file fs/ext4/inline.c of the component ext4 File Handler. The manipulation of the argument ext4_prepare_inline_data results in an unknown weakness. This vulnerability is reported as CVE-2025-38222. No exploit exists. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.15.3. Affected is some unknown processing of the file fs/ext4/inline.c of the component ext4 File Handler. The manipulation of the argument ext4_prepare_inline_data with an unknown input leads to a unknown weakness. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-190. The product performs a calculation that can produce an integer overflow or wraparound, when the logic assumes that the resulting value will always be larger than the original value. This can introduce other weaknesses when the calculation is used for resource management or execution control. The impact remains unknown. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: inline: fix len overflow in ext4_prepare_inline_data When running the following code on an ext4 filesystem with inline_data feature enabled, it will lead to the bug below. fd = open("file1", O_RDWR | O_CREAT | O_TRUNC, 0666); ftruncate(fd, 30); pwrite(fd, "a", 1, (1UL << 40) + 5UL); That happens because write_begin will succeed as when ext4_generic_write_inline_data calls ext4_prepare_inline_data, pos + len will be truncated, leading to ext4_prepare_inline_data parameter to be 6 instead of 0x10000000006. Then, later when write_end is called, we hit: BUG_ON(pos + len > EXT4_I(inode)->i_inline_size); at ext4_write_inline_data. Fix it by using a loff_t type for the len parameter in ext4_prepare_inline_data instead of an unsigned int. [ 44.545164] ------------[ cut here ]------------ [ 44.545530] kernel BUG at fs/ext4/inline.c:240! [ 44.545834] Oops: invalid opcode: 0000 [#1] SMP NOPTI [ 44.546172] CPU: 3 UID: 0 PID: 343 Comm: test Not tainted 6.15.0-rc2-00003-g9080916f4863 #45 PREEMPT(full) 112853fcebfdb93254270a7959841d2c6aa2c8bb [ 44.546523] Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.16.3-debian-1.16.3-2 04/01/2014 [ 44.546523] RIP: 0010:ext4_write_inline_data+0xfe/0x100 [ 44.546523] Code: 3c 0e 48 83 c7 48 48 89 de 5b 41 5c 41 5d 41 5e 41 5f 5d e9 e4 fa 43 01 5b 41 5c 41 5d 41 5e 41 5f 5d c3 cc cc cc cc cc 0f 0b <0f> 0b 0f 1f 44 00 00 55 41 57 41 56 41 55 41 54 53 48 83 ec 20 49 [ 44.546523] RSP: 0018:ffffb342008b79a8 EFLAGS: 00010216 [ 44.546523] RAX: 0000000000000001 RBX: ffff9329c579c000 RCX: 0000010000000006 [ 44.546523] RDX: 000000000000003c RSI: ffffb342008b79f0 RDI: ffff9329c158e738 [ 44.546523] RBP: 0000000000000001 R08: 0000000000000001 R09: 0000000000000000 [ 44.546523] R10: 00007ffffffff000 R11: ffffffff9bd0d910 R12: 0000006210000000 [ 44.546523] R13: fffffc7e4015e700 R14: 0000010000000005 R15: ffff9329c158e738 [ 44.546523] FS: 00007f4299934740(0000) GS:ffff932a60179000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [ 44.546523] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [ 44.546523] CR2: 00007f4299a1ec90 CR3: 0000000002886002 CR4: 0000000000770eb0 [ 44.546523] PKRU: 55555554 [ 44.546523] Call Trace: [ 44.546523] <TASK> [ 44.546523] ext4_write_inline_data_end+0x126/0x2d0 [ 44.546523] generic_perform_write+0x17e/0x270 [ 44.546523] ext4_buffered_write_iter+0xc8/0x170 [ 44.546523] vfs_write+0x2be/0x3e0 [ 44.546523] __x64_sys_pwrite64+0x6d/0xc0 [ 44.546523] do_syscall_64+0x6a/0xf0 [ 44.546523] ? __wake_up+0x89/0xb0 [ 44.546523] ? xas_find+0x72/0x1c0 [ 44.546523] ? next_uptodate_folio+0x317/0x330 [ 44.546523] ? set_pte_range+0x1a6/0x270 [ 44.546523] ? filemap_map_pages+0x6ee/0x840 [ 44.546523] ? ext4_setattr+0x2fa/0x750 [ 44.546523] ? do_pte_missing+0x128/0xf70 [ 44.546523] ? security_inode_post_setattr+0x3e/0xd0 [ 44.546523] ? ___pte_offset_map+0x19/0x100 [ 44.546523] ? handle_mm_fault+0x721/0xa10 [ 44.546523] ? do_user_addr_fault+0x197/0x730 [ 44.546523] ? do_syscall_64+0x76/0xf0 [ 44.546523] ? arch_exit_to_user_mode_prepare+0x1e/0x60 [ 44.546523] ? irqentry_exit_to_user_mode+0x79/0x90 [ 44.546523] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x55/0x5d [ 44.546523] RIP: 0033:0x7f42999c6687 [ 44.546523] Code: 48 89 fa 4c 89 df e8 58 b3 00 00 8b 93 08 03 00 00 59 5e 48 83 f8 fc 74 1a 5b c3 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 48 8b 44 24 10 0f 05 <5b> c3 0f 1f 80 00 00 00 00 83 e2 39 83 fa 08 75 de e8 23 ff ff ff [ 44.546523] RSP: 002b:00007ffeae4a7930 EFLAGS: 00000202 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000012 [ 44.546523] RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 00007f4299934740 RCX: 00007f42999c6687 [ 44.546523] RDX: 0000000000000001 RSI: 000055ea6149200f RDI: 0000000000000003 [ 44.546523] RBP: 00007ffeae4a79a0 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 [ 44.546523] R10: 0000010000000005 R11: 0000000000000202 R12: 0000 ---truncated---

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2025-38222 since 04/16/2025. The exploitability is told to be difficult. Successful exploitation requires user interaction by the victim. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 12/19/2025).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 249177 (Debian dsa-5973 : affs-modules-6.1.0-37-4kc-malta-di - security update), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.4.295, 5.10.239, 5.15.186, 6.1.142, 6.6.95, 6.12.35, 6.15.4 or 6.16-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch d3dfc60efd145df5324b99a244b0b05505cde29b/717414a8c083c376d4a8940a1230fe0c6ed4ee00/9d1d1c5bf4fc1af76be154d3afb2acdbd89ec7d8/cf5f319a2d8ab8238f8cf3a19463b9bff6420934/26e09d18599da0adc543eabd300080daaeda6869/5766da2237e539f259aa0e5f3639ae37b44ca458/e80ee0263d88d77f2fd1927f915003a7066cbb50/227cb4ca5a6502164f850d22aec3104d7888b270 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (249177), EUVD (EUVD-2025-20034) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1465). If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Affected

  • Debian Linux
  • Amazon Linux 2
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Ubuntu Linux
  • SUSE Linux
  • Oracle Linux
  • IBM QRadar SIEM
  • SUSE openSUSE
  • RESF Rocky Linux
  • Dell Avamar
  • Open Source Linux Kernel
  • Dell NetWorker
  • Dell Secure Connect Gateway

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 4.9
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 4.8

VulDB Base Score: 4.3
VulDB Temp Score: 4.1
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.5
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Integer overflow
CWE: CWE-190 / CWE-189
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Nessus ID: 249177
Nessus Name: Debian dsa-5973 : affs-modules-6.1.0-37-4kc-malta-di - security update

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 5.4.295/5.10.239/5.15.186/6.1.142/6.6.95/6.12.35/6.15.4/6.16-rc1
Patch: d3dfc60efd145df5324b99a244b0b05505cde29b/717414a8c083c376d4a8940a1230fe0c6ed4ee00/9d1d1c5bf4fc1af76be154d3afb2acdbd89ec7d8/cf5f319a2d8ab8238f8cf3a19463b9bff6420934/26e09d18599da0adc543eabd300080daaeda6869/5766da2237e539f259aa0e5f3639ae37b44ca458/e80ee0263d88d77f2fd1927f915003a7066cbb50/227cb4ca5a6502164f850d22aec3104d7888b270

Timelineinfo

04/16/2025 CVE reserved
07/04/2025 +79 days Advisory disclosed
07/04/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
12/19/2025 +168 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2025-38222 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2025-38222
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-314922
EUVD: 🔒
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-1465 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen erm&ouml;glichen Denial of Service

Entryinfo

Created: 07/04/2025 16:22
Updated: 12/19/2025 07:15
Changes: 07/04/2025 16:22 (58), 07/04/2025 17:59 (1), 07/20/2025 19:37 (7), 08/13/2025 22:12 (2), 08/25/2025 23:21 (1), 09/11/2025 09:30 (1), 09/21/2025 06:22 (1), 11/03/2025 07:45 (1), 12/13/2025 23:12 (1), 12/19/2025 07:15 (15)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

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