CVE-2025-39866 — fs: writeback: fix use-after-free in __mark_inode_dirty()
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs: writeback: fix use-after-free in __mark_inode_dirty() An use-after-free issue occurred when __mark_inode_dirty() get the bdi_writeback that was in the progress of switching. CPU: 1 PID: 562 Comm: systemd-random- Not tainted 6.6.56-gb4403bd46a8e #1 ...... pstate: 60400005 (nZCv daif +PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) pc : __mark_inode_dirty+0x124/0x418 lr : __mark_inode_dirty+0x118/0x418 sp : ffffffc08c9dbbc0 ........ Call trace: __mark_inode_dirty+0x124/0x418 generic_update_time+0x4c/0x60 file_modified+0xcc/0xd0 ext4_buffered_write_iter+0x58/0x124 ext4_file_write_iter+0x54/0x704 vfs_write+0x1c0/0x308 ksys_write+0x74/0x10c __arm64_sys_write+0x1c/0x28 invoke_syscall+0x48/0x114 el0_svc_common.constprop.0+0xc0/0xe0 do_el0_svc+0x1c/0x28 el0_svc+0x40/0xe4 el0t_64_sync_handler+0x120/0x12c el0t_64_sync+0x194/0x198 Root cause is: systemd-random-seed kworker ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ___mark_inode_dirty inode_switch_wbs_work_fn spin_lock(&inode->i_lock); inode_attach_wb locked_inode_to_wb_and_lock_list get inode->i_wb spin_unlock(&inode->i_lock); spin_lock(&wb->list_lock) spin_lock(&inode->i_lock) inode_io_list_move_locked spin_unlock(&wb->list_lock) spin_unlock(&inode->i_lock) spin_lock(&old_wb->list_lock) inode_do_switch_wbs spin_lock(&inode->i_lock) inode->i_wb = new_wb spin_unlock(&inode->i_lock) spin_unlock(&old_wb->list_lock) wb_put_many(old_wb, nr_switched) cgwb_release old wb released wb_wakeup_delayed() accesses wb, then trigger the use-after-free issue Fix this race condition by holding inode spinlock until wb_wakeup_delayed() finished.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.3% (30-day exploitation probability)+3
- Technical severity (high)+6
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Debian Debian Linux, Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debian | Debian Linux | version 11.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Linux | Linux | version 4.2≥ 0747259d13febfcc838980a63c414c9b920cea6f and < d02d2c98d25793902f65803ab853b592c7a96b29≥ 0747259d13febfcc838980a63c414c9b920cea6f and < c8c14adf80bd1a6e4a1d7ee9c2a816881c26d17a≥ 0747259d13febfcc838980a63c414c9b920cea6f and < e63052921f1b25a836feb1500b841bff7a4a0456≥ 0747259d13febfcc838980a63c414c9b920cea6f and < bf89b1f87c72df79cf76203f71fbf8349cd5c9de≥ 0747259d13febfcc838980a63c414c9b920cea6f and < 1edc2feb9c759a9883dfe81cb5ed231412d8b2e4≥ 0747259d13febfcc838980a63c414c9b920cea6f and < b187c976111960e6e54a6b1fff724f6e3d39406c≥ 0747259d13febfcc838980a63c414c9b920cea6f and < e2a14bbae5d8bacaa301362744a110e2be40a3a3 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | version 6.17-rc2version 6.17-rc1≥ 6.13 and < 6.16.6≥ 6.7 and < 6.12.46≥ 6.2 and < 6.6.105≥ 5.16 and < 6.1.151≥ 5.11 and < 5.15.192≥ 4.2 and < 5.10.247 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 14, 2026 → Oct 15, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.31%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- SSVC assessment updated
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 7.8
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2025
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× References added · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
References
14 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/bf89b1f87c72df79cf76203f71fbf8349cd5c9de
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c8c14adf80bd1a6e4a1d7ee9c2a816881c26d17a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e2a14bbae5d8bacaa301362744a110e2be40a3a3
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e63052921f1b25a836feb1500b841bff7a4a0456
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1edc2feb9c759a9883dfe81cb5ed231412d8b2e4
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b187c976111960e6e54a6b1fff724f6e3d39406c
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d02d2c98d25793902f65803ab853b592c7a96b29
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-082556.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-032379.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-457936.html
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-65ww-5pr7-752v
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-019113.html
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00008.html
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-39866
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 15h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 15h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98427 net/sched: codel: bound the dropping loop per dequeue call 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2025-39866 is "fs: writeback: fix use-after-free in __mark_inode_dirty()", rated High. It affects Debian Linux (Debian); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.31% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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