btrfs: avoid NULL pointer dereference if no valid csum tree
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-476.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: avoid NULL pointer dereference if no valid csum tree [BUG] When trying read-only scrub on a btrfs with rescue=idatacsums mount option, it will crash with the following call trace: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000208 #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page CPU: 1 UID: 0 PID: 835 Comm: btrfs Tainted: G O 6.15.0-rc3-custom+ #236 PREEMPT(full) Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS unknown 02/02/2022 RIP: 0010:btrfs_lookup_csums_bitmap+0x49/0x480 [btrfs] Call Trace: <TASK> scrub_find_fill_first_stripe+0x35b/0x3d0 [btrfs] scrub_simple_mirror+0x175/0x290 [btrfs] scrub_stripe+0x5f7/0x6f0 [btrfs] scrub_chunk+0x9a/0x150 [btrfs] scrub_enumerate_chunks+0x333/0x660 [btrfs] btrfs_scrub_dev+0x23e/0x600 [btrfs] btrfs_ioctl+0x1dcf/0x2f80 [btrfs] __x64_sys_ioctl+0x97/0xc0 do_syscall_64+0x4f/0x120 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e [CAUSE] Mount option "rescue=idatacsums" will completely skip loading the csum tree, so that any data read will not find any data csum thus we will ignore data checksum verification. Normally call sites utilizing csum tree will check the fs state flag NO_DATA_CSUMS bit, but unfortunately scrub does not check that bit at all. This results in scrub to call btrfs_search_slot() on a NULL pointer and triggered above crash. [FIX] Check both extent and csum tree root before doing any tree search.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.9 and later | 6.1.191, 6.6.93, 6.12.31, 6.14.9, 6.15 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.9 and later Fixed in 6.1.191, 6.6.93, 6.12.31, 6.14.9, 6.15 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 6
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.9 to before 6.6.93; 6.7 to before 6.12.31; 6.13 to before 6.14.9 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.9 to before 6.6.93; 6.7 to before 6.12.31; 6.13 to before 6.14.9 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.191, 6.6.93, 6.12.31, 6.14.9, 6.15
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-38059
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-4h2w-f3jr-93rm
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/Linux@2db25048a61c0909459b074af04e06ab8a8b939e, Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-30 1 new reference · CNA
References
Patch 4
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Sources
- CVE-2025-38059 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-38059 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-4h2w-f3jr-93rm · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2025-38059 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences