CVE-2025-37741: Linux kernel · jfs: Prevent copying of nlink with value 0 from disk inode
Source GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium.
Data as of 4 Nov 2026, 17:24 UTC
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 1 May 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 4 Nov 2026.
What to do
AI-suggested
A fix is available that adds a check on the nlink value before setting the inode to prevent copying a zero nlink value from disk inodes. Users should apply the official Linux kernel update that includes this patch. Since this is a kernel-level issue, updating to a fixed kernel version is the recommended remediation. No additional mitigation steps are indicated.
Description
CVE-2025-37741 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel's JFS filesystem code where a corrupted disk inode can cause the nlink value to be zero. This leads to a deadlock in the diFree function due to improper locking when freeing inodes. The issue arises from reading corrupted metapage data and copying an invalid nlink value, causing recursive locking and a system deadlock.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-37741 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/5b2f26d3fba4e9aac314f8bc0963b3fc28c0e456 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/86bfeaa18f9e4615b97f2d613e0fcc4ced196527 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/8b5ce75f8bd3ddf480cc0a240d7ff5cdea0444f9 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/994787341358816d91b2fded288ecb7f129f2b27 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a2b560815528ae8e266fca6038bb5585d13aaef4 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/aeb926e605f97857504bdf748f575e40617e2ef9 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b3c4884b987e5d8d0ec061a4d52653c4f4b9c37e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b61e69bb1c049cf507e3c654fa3dc1568231bd07 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c9541c2bd0edbdbc5c1148a84d3b48dc8d1b8af2 (opens in a new tab)
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00030.html (opens in a new tab)
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00045.html (opens in a new tab)