CVE-2025-40205: Linux kernel · btrfs: avoid potential out-of-bounds in btrfs_encode_fh()
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High · fixed in 5.15.0-1100.107~20.04.2 : patch Linux kernel soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 14:05 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 4% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 5.15.0-1100.107~20.04.2, 5.15.0-1110.119~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1100.109~20.04.1 +67
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 12 Nov 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.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 25.10linuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux@6.17.0-14.14?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 25.10linux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws@6.17.0-1007.7?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure@6.17.0-1008.8?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde@6.17.0-1017.17?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 25.10linux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp@6.17.0-1007.7?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 25.10linux-oraclepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-oracle@6.17.0-1007.7?arch=source&distro=questingOther 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: avoid potential out-of-bounds in btrfs_encode_fh() The function btrfs_encode_fh() does not properly account for the three cases it handles. Before writing to the file handle (fh), the function only returns to the user BTRFS_FID_SIZE_NON_CONNECTABLE (5 dwords, 20 bytes) or BTRFS_FID_SIZE_CONNECTABLE (8 dwords, 32 bytes). However, when a parent exists and the root ID of the parent and the inode are different, the function writes BTRFS_FID_SIZE_CONNECTABLE_ROOT (10 dwords, 40 bytes). If *max_len is not large enough, this write goes out of bounds because BTRFS_FID_SIZE_CONNECTABLE_ROOT is greater than BTRFS_FID_SIZE_CONNECTABLE originally returned. This results in an 8-byte out-of-bounds write at fid->parent_root_objectid = parent_root_id. A previous attempt to fix this issue was made but was lost. https://lore.kernel.org/all/4CADAEEC020000780001B32C@vpn.id2.novell.com/ Although this issue does not seem to be easily triggerable, it is a potential memory corruption bug that should be fixed. This patch resolves the issue by ensuring the function returns the appropriate size for all three cases and validates that *max_len is large enough before writing any data.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-40205 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-40205 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/dff4f9ff5d7f289e4545cc936362e01ed3252742 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0276c8582488022f057b4cec21975a5edf079f47 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/361d67276eb8ec6be8f27f4ad6c6090459438fee (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/43143776b0a7604d873d1a6f3e552a00aa930224 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/60de2f55d2aca53e81b4ef2a67d7cc9e1eb677db (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/742b44342204e5dfe3926433823623c1a0c581df (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d3a9a8e1275eb9b87f006b5562a287aea3f6885f (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d91f6626133698362bba08fbc04bd72c466806d3 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/dff4f9ff5d7f289e4545cc936362e01ed3252742 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8029-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8030-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8033-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8033-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8033-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8034-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8033-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8029-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8033-5 (opens in a new tab)