Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: f2fs: fix to do sanity check...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
f2fs: fix to do sanity check on sbi->total_valid_block_count
syzbot reported a f2fs bug as below:
------------[ cut here ]------------
kernel BUG at fs/f2fs/f2fs.h:2521!
RIP: 0010:dec_valid_block_count+0x3b2/0x3c0 fs/f2fs/f2fs.h:2521
Call Trace:
f2fs_truncate_data_blocks_range+0xc8c/0x11a0 fs/f2fs/file.c:695
truncate_dnode+0x417/0x740 fs/f2fs/node.c:973
truncate_nodes+0x3ec/0xf50 fs/f2fs/node.c:1014
f2fs_truncate_inode_blocks+0x8e3/0x1370 fs/f2fs/node.c:1197
f2fs_do_truncate_blocks+0x840/0x12b0 fs/f2fs/file.c:810
f2fs_truncate_blocks+0x10d/0x300 fs/f2fs/file.c:838
f2fs_truncate+0x417/0x720 fs/f2fs/file.c:888
f2fs_setattr+0xc4f/0x12f0 fs/f2fs/file.c:1112
notify_change+0xbca/0xe90 fs/attr.c:552
do_truncate+0x222/0x310 fs/open.c:65
handle_truncate fs/namei.c:3466 [inline]
do_open fs/namei.c:3849 [inline]
path_openat+0x2e4f/0x35d0 fs/namei.c:4004
do_filp_open+0x284/0x4e0 fs/namei.c:4031
do_sys_openat2+0x12b/0x1d0 fs/open.c:1429
do_sys_open fs/open.c:1444 [inline]
__do_sys_creat fs/open.c:1522 [inline]
__se_sys_creat fs/open.c:1516 [inline]
__x64_sys_creat+0x124/0x170 fs/open.c:1516
do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:63 [inline]
do_syscall_64+0xf3/0x230 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:94
The reason is: in fuzzed image, sbi->total_valid_block_count is
inconsistent w/ mapped blocks indexed by inode, so, we should
not trigger panic for such case, instead, let's print log and
set fsck flag.
Impact
The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash. Typical impact: denial of service via crash.
CVE-2025-38163 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. No fixed version is listed yet, so configuration controls and monitoring matter more in the interim.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-38163? CVE-2025-38163 is a medium-severity null pointer dereference vulnerability. No fixed version is listed yet. The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash.
- How severe is CVE-2025-38163? CVE-2025-38163 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-38163? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-38163 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-38163 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-38163 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2025-38163 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.