CVE-2025-37856: Linux kernel · btrfs: harden block_group::bg_list against list_del() races
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High · fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1 : patch Linux kernel soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 16:39 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.3% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 23% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1046.53~22.04.1 +27
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 9 May 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: 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 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Patches and advisories
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7594-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7594-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7594-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8031-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-5 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8031-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-6 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8031-3 (opens in a new tab)
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: btrfs: harden block_group::bg_list against list_del() races As far as I can tell, these calls of list_del_init() on bg_list cannot run concurrently with btrfs_mark_bg_unused() or btrfs_mark_bg_to_reclaim(), as they are in transaction error paths and situations where the block group is readonly. However, if there is any chance at all of racing with mark_bg_unused(), or a different future user of bg_list, better to be safe than sorry. Otherwise we risk the following interleaving (bg_list refcount in parens) T1 (some random op) T2 (btrfs_mark_bg_unused) !list_empty(&bg->bg_list); (1) list_del_init(&bg->bg_list); (1) list_move_tail (1) btrfs_put_block_group (0) btrfs_delete_unused_bgs bg = list_first_entry list_del_init(&bg->bg_list); btrfs_put_block_group(bg); (-1) Ultimately, this results in a broken ref count that hits zero one deref early and the real final deref underflows the refcount, resulting in a WARNING.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-37856 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-37856 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/7511e29cf1355b2c47d0effb39e463119913e2f6 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/185fd73e5ac06027c4be9a129e59193f6a3ef202 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/7511e29cf1355b2c47d0effb39e463119913e2f6 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/909e60fb469d4101c6b08cf6e622efb062bb24a1 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/bf089c4d1141b27332c092b1dcca5022c415a3b6 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7594-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7594-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7594-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8031-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-5 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8031-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-6 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8031-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8052-1 (opens in a new tab)