Linux Kernel f2fs Vulnerability Affecting Multiple Distributions

CVE-2025-38163

What is CVE-2025-38163?

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's f2fs file system was reported, concerning an inconsistency in the total valid block count. When the system encountered a fuzzed image, the total valid block count did not align with the mapped blocks indexed by inode. This discrepancy could lead to a kernel panic due to runtime checks failing. The proposed resolution is to avoid triggering a panic in such scenarios by implementing sanity checks, logging the issue instead, and setting the fsck flag for further diagnostics. This fix aims to enhance stability and reliability in file system operations.

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