CVE-2025-38615

CVE-2025-38615 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs/ntfs3: cancle set bad inode after removing name fails The reproducer uses a file0 on a ntfs3 file system with a corrupted i_link. When renaming, the file0's inode is marked as a bad inode because the file name cannot be deleted. The underlying bug is that make_bad_inode() is called on a live inode. In some cases it's "icache lookup finds a normal inode, d_splice_alias() is called to attach it to dentry, while another thread decides to call make_bad_inode() on it - that would evict it from icache, but we'd already found it there earlier". In some it's outright "we have an inode attached to dentry - that's how we got it in the first place; let's call make_bad_inode() on it just for shits and giggles".

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2025-38615?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs/ntfs3: cancle set bad inode after removing name fails The reproducer uses a file0 on a ntfs3 file system with a corrupted i_link. When renaming, the file0's inode is marked as a bad inode because the file name cannot be deleted. The underlying bug is that make_bad_inode() is called on a live inode. In some cases it's "icache lookup finds a normal inode, d_splice_alias() is called to attach it to dentry, while another thread decides to call make_bad_inode() on it - that would evict it from icache, but we'd already found it there earlier". In some it's outright "we have an inode attached to dentry - that's how we got it in the first place; let's call make_bad_inode() on it just for shits and giggles".
How severe is CVE-2025-38615?
CVE-2025-38615 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2025-38615 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (4th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2025-38615?
CVE-2025-38615 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2025-38615?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2025-38615 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2025-38615 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2025-27935.
When was CVE-2025-38615 published?
CVE-2025-38615 was published on 2025-08-19 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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