CVE-2025-68264

EPSS 0.0%
  • Published: 2025-12-16T15:15:55.920

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ext4: refresh inline data size before write operations

The cached ei->i_inline_size can become stale between the initial size
check and when ext4_update_inline_data()/ext4_create_inline_data() use
it. Although ext4_get_max_inline_size() reads the correct value at the
time of the check, concurrent xattr operations can modify i_inline_size
before ext4_write_lock_xattr() is acquired.

This causes ext4_update_inline_data() and ext4_create_inline_data() to
work with stale capacity values, leading to a BUG_ON() crash in
ext4_write_inline_data():

kernel BUG at fs/ext4/inline.c:1331!
BUG_ON(pos + len > EXT4_I(inode)->i_inline_size);

The race window:
1. ext4_get_max_inline_size() reads i_inline_size = 60 (correct)
2. Size check passes for 50-byte write
3. [Another thread adds xattr, i_inline_size changes to 40]
4. ext4_write_lock_xattr() acquires lock
5. ext4_update_inline_data() uses stale i_inline_size = 60
6. Attempts to write 50 bytes but only 40 bytes actually available
7. BUG_ON() triggers

Fix this by recalculating i_inline_size via ext4_find_inline_data_nolock()
immediately after acquiring xattr_sem. This ensures ext4_update_inline_data()
and ext4_create_inline_data() work with current values that are protected
from concurrent modifications.

This is similar to commit a54c4613dac1 (“ext4: fix race writing to an
inline_data file while its xattrs are changing”) which fixed i_inline_off
staleness. This patch addresses the related i_inline_size staleness issue.

Related CVE by CWE

No related CWE found.

Top CVE for Vendor

No vendor taxonomy on this entry.

Recently Exploited Similar Vulnerabilities

No recent KEV-listed items for this vendor/product.

How to fix CVE-2025-68264

CVE-2025-68264 is a unknown severity vulnerability affecting the affected product.

Description: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: refresh inline data size before write operations The cached ei->i_inline_size can become stale between the initial size check and when ext4_update_inline_data()/ext4_create_inline_data() use it. Although ext4_get_max_inline_size() reads the correct value at the time of the check, concurrent xattr operations can modify i_inline_size before ext4_write_lock_xattr() is […]

Exploit Difficulty: HARD
⏱️ Time to exploit: > 4 hours
🛠️ Required skills: Advanced security expertise
💰 Public exploits: Rare or not public

How to Fix:

1 Identify affected systems

- Check if you're running the affected product

2 Immediate actions

- Update to the latest patched version
- If patching is not immediately possible: restrict network exposure, apply least-privilege access

3 Verification

- Test the fix in a staging environment first
- Review logs for signs of exploitation
- Monitor for IOCs (Indicators of Compromise)

4 Long-term prevention

- Enable automatic security updates
- Set up vulnerability monitoring
- Review and harden security configurations

Exploit Difficulty Assessment

HARD
⏱️ Time to Exploit: > 4 hours
🛠️ Skills Required: Advanced security expertise
💰 Public Exploits: Rare or not public

Vulnerability Timeline

Dec 16, 2025
Vulnerability Published

CVE details first published to NVD database

Dec 24, 2025
Imported to Database

Added to this CVE tracking system

Detection Rules & IOCs

No specific detection rules generated for this vulnerability type.

No vendor/product data available.