CVE-2025-68820
Unknown Unknown - Not Provided
BaseFortify

Publication date: 2026-01-13

Last updated on: 2026-01-19

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: xattr: fix null pointer deref in ext4_raw_inode() If ext4_get_inode_loc() fails (e.g. if it returns -EFSCORRUPTED), iloc.bh will remain set to NULL. Since ext4_xattr_inode_dec_ref_all() lacks error checking, this will lead to a null pointer dereference in ext4_raw_inode(), called right after ext4_get_inode_loc(). Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with SVACE.
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
Probability:
Percentile:
Meta Information
Published
2026-01-13
Last Modified
2026-01-19
Generated
2026-06-16
AI Q&A
2026-01-14
EPSS Evaluated
2026-06-15
NVD
CVE-2025-68820
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
linux linux_kernel *
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-UNKNOWN
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Quick Actions
Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a null pointer dereference in the ext4 filesystem code of the Linux kernel. Specifically, if the function ext4_get_inode_loc() fails and returns an error like -EFSCORRUPTED, a variable (iloc.bh) remains NULL. Because the function ext4_xattr_inode_dec_ref_all() does not check for this error, it leads to a null pointer dereference in ext4_raw_inode(), which is called immediately after ext4_get_inode_loc().

Impact Analysis

The null pointer dereference can cause the Linux kernel to crash or behave unpredictably, potentially leading to a denial of service (system crash or reboot). This can disrupt system availability and stability.

Chat Assistant
Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2025-68820. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70
EPSS Chart