Linux Kernel up to 6.15.3 jbd2 jbd2_journal_dirty_metadata null pointer dereference

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5.0$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.15.3. It has been rated as critical. This impacts the function jbd2_journal_dirty_metadata of the component jbd2. This manipulation causes null pointer dereference. This vulnerability appears as CVE-2025-38337. There is no available exploit. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.15.3. Affected by this vulnerability is the function jbd2_journal_dirty_metadata of the component jbd2. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. As an impact it is known to affect availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: jbd2: fix data-race and null-ptr-deref in jbd2_journal_dirty_metadata() Since handle->h_transaction may be a NULL pointer, so we should change it to call is_handle_aborted(handle) first before dereferencing it. And the following data-race was reported in my fuzzer: ================================================================== BUG: KCSAN: data-race in jbd2_journal_dirty_metadata / jbd2_journal_dirty_metadata write to 0xffff888011024104 of 4 bytes by task 10881 on cpu 1: jbd2_journal_dirty_metadata+0x2a5/0x770 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:1556 __ext4_handle_dirty_metadata+0xe7/0x4b0 fs/ext4/ext4_jbd2.c:358 ext4_do_update_inode fs/ext4/inode.c:5220 [inline] ext4_mark_iloc_dirty+0x32c/0xd50 fs/ext4/inode.c:5869 __ext4_mark_inode_dirty+0xe1/0x450 fs/ext4/inode.c:6074 ext4_dirty_inode+0x98/0xc0 fs/ext4/inode.c:6103 .... read to 0xffff888011024104 of 4 bytes by task 10880 on cpu 0: jbd2_journal_dirty_metadata+0xf2/0x770 fs/jbd2/transaction.c:1512 __ext4_handle_dirty_metadata+0xe7/0x4b0 fs/ext4/ext4_jbd2.c:358 ext4_do_update_inode fs/ext4/inode.c:5220 [inline] ext4_mark_iloc_dirty+0x32c/0xd50 fs/ext4/inode.c:5869 __ext4_mark_inode_dirty+0xe1/0x450 fs/ext4/inode.c:6074 ext4_dirty_inode+0x98/0xc0 fs/ext4/inode.c:6103 .... value changed: 0x00000000 -> 0x00000001 ================================================================== This issue is caused by missing data-race annotation for jh->b_modified. Therefore, the missing annotation needs to be added.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2025-38337 since 04/16/2025. The exploitation appears to be difficult. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 253428 (SUSE SLES15 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:02923-1)), 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 5c1a34ff5b0bfdfd2f9343aa9b08d25df618bac5/ec669e5bf409f16e464bfad75f0ba039a45de29a/43d5e3bb5f1dcd91e30238ea0b59a5f77063f84e/23361b479f2700c00960d3ae9cdc8ededa762d47/2e7c64d7a92c031d016f11c8e8cb05131ab7b75a/f78b38af3540b4875147b7b884ee11a27b3dbf4c/a377996d714afb8d4d5f4906336f78510039da29/af98b0157adf6504fade79b3e6cb260c4ff68e37 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 (253428), EUVD (EUVD-2025-20909) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1522). If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Affected

  • Google Container-Optimized OS
  • Debian Linux
  • Amazon Linux 2
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Ubuntu Linux
  • SUSE Linux
  • Oracle Linux
  • IBM QRadar SIEM
  • SUSE openSUSE
  • RESF Rocky Linux
  • Open Source Linux Kernel
  • Dell Avamar
  • Dell NetWorker

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.1
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.0

VulDB Base Score: 4.8
VulDB Temp Score: 4.6
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: Null pointer dereference
CWE: CWE-476 / CWE-404
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: 253428
Nessus Name: SUSE SLES15 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:02923-1)

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: 5c1a34ff5b0bfdfd2f9343aa9b08d25df618bac5/ec669e5bf409f16e464bfad75f0ba039a45de29a/43d5e3bb5f1dcd91e30238ea0b59a5f77063f84e/23361b479f2700c00960d3ae9cdc8ededa762d47/2e7c64d7a92c031d016f11c8e8cb05131ab7b75a/f78b38af3540b4875147b7b884ee11a27b3dbf4c/a377996d714afb8d4d5f4906336f78510039da29/af98b0157adf6504fade79b3e6cb260c4ff68e37

Timelineinfo

04/16/2025 CVE reserved
07/10/2025 +85 days Advisory disclosed
07/10/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
12/16/2025 +159 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2025-38337 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2025-38337
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-315973
EUVD: 🔒
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-1522 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen ermöglichen Denial of Service

Entryinfo

Created: 07/10/2025 11:39
Updated: 12/16/2025 20:01
Changes: 07/10/2025 11:39 (59), 07/10/2025 17:01 (1), 08/24/2025 01:34 (2), 10/11/2025 22:57 (7), 11/02/2025 20:58 (1), 12/08/2025 01:19 (1), 12/16/2025 20:01 (12)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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