Null Pointer Dereference Vulnerability in Linux Kernel Btrfs File System

CVE-2025-38059

What is CVE-2025-38059?

A vulnerability in the Btrfs file system within the Linux kernel allows for a null pointer dereference during read-only scrub operations. This issue arises when the 'rescue=idatacsums' mount option is applied, which prevents the loading of the checksum tree, leading to a scenario where any attempted data reads won't verify checksums. If scrub operations are initiated without proper state checks for the csum tree, a call to the btrfs_search_slot() function results in a crash due to dereferencing a null pointer. This flaw highlights significant risks in data processing and integrity verification within the affected Btrfs file system under specific mount conditions.

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