CVE-2025-71159: Linux kernel · btrfs: fix use-after-free warning in btrfs_get_or_create_delayed_node()
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 9.8 Critical.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 10:12 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 15% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 23 Jan 2026
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
Affected software
| Product | 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-gcp-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.11?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-hwe-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.11?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-nvidia-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.11?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-oem-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-oem-6.11?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: fix use-after-free warning in btrfs_get_or_create_delayed_node() Previously, btrfs_get_or_create_delayed_node() set the delayed_node's refcount before acquiring the root->delayed_nodes lock. Commit e8513c012de7 ("btrfs: implement ref_tracker for delayed_nodes") moved refcount_set inside the critical section, which means there is no longer a memory barrier between setting the refcount and setting btrfs_inode->delayed_node. Without that barrier, the stores to node->refs and btrfs_inode->delayed_node may become visible out of order. Another thread can then read btrfs_inode->delayed_node and attempt to increment a refcount that hasn't been set yet, leading to a refcounting bug and a use-after-free warning. The fix is to move refcount_set back to where it was to take advantage of the implicit memory barrier provided by lock acquisition. Because the allocations now happen outside of the lock's critical section, they can use GFP_NOFS instead of GFP_ATOMIC.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-71159 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-71159 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/83f59076a1ae6f5c6845d6f7ed3a1a373d883684 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/83f59076a1ae6f5c6845d6f7ed3a1a373d883684 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c8385851a5435f4006281828d428e5d0b0bbf8af (opens in a new tab)