// For flags

CVE-2025-38073

block: fix race between set_blocksize and read paths

Severity Score

5.5
*CVSS v3

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

0
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

-
*SSVC
Descriptions

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: block: fix race between set_blocksize and read paths With the new large sector size support, it's now the case that
set_blocksize can change i_blksize and the folio order in a manner that
conflicts with a concurrent reader and causes a kernel crash. Specifically, let's say that udev-worker calls libblkid to detect the
labels on a block device. The read call can create an order-0 folio to
read the first 4096 bytes from the disk. But then udev is preempted. Next, someone tries to mount an 8k-sectorsize filesystem from the same
block device. The filesystem calls set_blksize, which sets i_blksize to
8192 and the minimum folio order to 1. Now udev resumes, still holding the order-0 folio it allocated. It then
tries to schedule a read bio and do_mpage_readahead tries to create
bufferheads for the folio. Unfortunately, blocks_per_folio == 0 because
the page size is 4096 but the blocksize is 8192 so no bufferheads are
attached and the bh walk never sets bdev. We then submit the bio with a
NULL block device and crash. Therefore, truncate the page cache after flushing but before updating
i_blksize. However, that's not enough -- we also need to lock out file
IO and page faults during the update. Take both the i_rwsem and the
invalidate_lock in exclusive mode for invalidations, and in shared mode
for read/write operations. I don't know if this is the correct fix, but xfs/259 found it.

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: block: fix race between set_blocksize and read paths With the new large sector size support, it's now the case that set_blocksize can change i_blksize and the folio order in a manner that conflicts with a concurrent reader and causes a kernel crash. Specifically, let's say that udev-worker calls libblkid to detect the labels on a block device. The read call can create an order-0 folio to read the first 4096 bytes from the disk. But then udev is preempted. Next, someone tries to mount an 8k-sectorsize filesystem from the same block device. The filesystem calls set_blksize, which sets i_blksize to 8192 and the minimum folio order to 1. Now udev resumes, still holding the order-0 folio it allocated. It then tries to schedule a read bio and do_mpage_readahead tries to create bufferheads for the folio. Unfortunately, blocks_per_folio == 0 because the page size is 4096 but the blocksize is 8192 so no bufferheads are attached and the bh walk never sets bdev. We then submit the bio with a NULL block device and crash. Therefore, truncate the page cache after flushing but before updating i_blksize. However, that's not enough -- we also need to lock out file IO and page faults during the update. Take both the i_rwsem and the invalidate_lock in exclusive mode for invalidations, and in shared mode for read/write operations. I don't know if this is the correct fix, but xfs/259 found it.

*Credits: N/A
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Medium
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
Complete
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:-
Exploitation
-
Automatable
-
Tech. Impact
-
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2025-04-16 CVE Reserved
  • 2025-06-18 CVE Published
  • 2025-06-18 CVE Updated
  • 2025-06-18 EPSS Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
  • ---------- First Exploit
CWE
CAPEC
Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions
Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vendor Product Version Other Status <-- --> Vendor Product Version Other Status
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
< 6.12.31
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " < 6.12.31"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
< 6.14.9
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " < 6.14.9"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
< 6.15
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " < 6.15"
en
Affected