CVE-2025-71069

Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

f2fs: invalidate dentry cache on failed whiteout creation

F2FS can mount filesystems with corrupted directory depth values that get runtime-clamped to MAX_DIR_HASH_DEPTH. When RENAME_WHITEOUT operations are performed on such directories, f2fs_rename performs directory modifications (updating target entry and deleting source entry) before attempting to add the whiteout entry via f2fs_add_link.

If f2fs_add_link fails due to the corrupted directory structure, the function returns an error to VFS, but the partial directory modifications have already been committed to disk. VFS assumes the entire rename operation failed and does not update the dentry cache, leaving stale mappings.

In the error path, VFS does not call d_move() to update the dentry cache. This results in new_dentry still pointing to the old inode (new_inode) which has already had its i_nlink decremented to zero. The stale cache causes subsequent operations to incorrectly reference the freed inode.

This causes subsequent operations to use cached dentry information that no longer matches the on-disk state. When a second rename targets the same entry, VFS attempts to decrement i_nlink on the stale inode, which may already have i_nlink=0, triggering a WARNING in drop_nlink().

Example sequence:

  1. First rename (RENAME_WHITEOUT): file2 → file1

    • f2fs updates file1 entry on disk (points to inode 8)
    • f2fs deletes file2 entry on disk
    • f2fs_add_link(whiteout) fails (corrupted directory)
    • Returns error to VFS
    • VFS does not call d_move() due to error
    • VFS cache still has: file1 → inode 7 (stale!)
    • inode 7 has i_nlink=0 (already decremented)
  2. Second rename: file3 → file1

    • VFS uses stale cache: file1 → inode 7
    • Tries to drop_nlink on inode 7 (i_nlink already 0)
    • WARNING in drop_nlink()

Fix this by explicitly invalidating old_dentry and new_dentry when f2fs_add_link fails during whiteout creation. This forces VFS to refresh from disk on subsequent operations, ensuring cache consistency even when the rename partially succeeds.

Reproducer:

  1. Mount F2FS image with corrupted i_current_depth
  2. renameat2(file2, file1, RENAME_WHITEOUT)
  3. renameat2(file3, file1, 0)
  4. System triggers WARNING in drop_nlink()

Metrics

Severity
none
no public PoC known
10.2 %
Elevated — this CVE ranks above at least 10% of all CVEs scored today.
0.2 %
Low — model estimates < 1% exploitation likelihood.
Published
2026-06-16 22:30 UTC

Affected operating systems

  • linux

    amazon / amazon_linux

  • linux

    ubuntu / awsbionic

  • linux

    ubuntu / awsjammy

  • linux

    ubuntu / awsnoble

  • linux

    ubuntu / awsresolute

  • linux

    ubuntu / awsxenial

  • linux

    ubuntu / aws-6.8jammy

  • linux

    ubuntu / aws-hwexenial

  • linux

    ubuntu / azurejammy

  • linux

    ubuntu / azurenoble

  • linux

    ubuntu / azureresolute

  • linux

    ubuntu / azurexenial

  • linux

    ubuntu / azure-4.15bionic

  • linux

    suse / basesystem_module15

  • linux

    debian / debian_linux11.0

  • linux

    debian / debian_linux12.0

  • linux

    debian / debian_linux13.0

  • linux

    suse / development_tools_module15

  • linux

    redhat / enterprise_linux9.0

  • linux

    redhat / enterprise_linux10.0

  • linux

    redhat / enterprise_linux8.0

  • linux

    redhat / enterprise_linux_aus8.6

  • linux

    redhat / enterprise_linux_aus8.4

  • linux

    redhat / enterprise_linux_eus9.6

Affected products

Products and version ranges extracted from the vendor/CERT advisory. A range like „<4.14.6“ implies the update recommendation „upgrade to 4.14.6 or later“.

  • arista

    cloudvision_agni2024.4.0 – 2025.2.2

  • arista

    cloudvision_portal2024.2.0 – 2026.1.0

  • arista

    velocloud_edge4.5.0 – 6.4.1

  • arista

    velocloud_gateway

  • arista

    velocloud_orchestrator

  • IBM

    QRadar SIEM<7.5.0 UP15 IF06

  • redhat

    openshift_container_platform4.12 – 4.12.89

  • redhat

    openshift_container_platform4.13 – 4.13.66

  • redhat

    openshift_container_platform4.14 – 4.14.65

  • redhat

    openshift_container_platform4.15 – 4.15.64

  • redhat

    openshift_container_platform4.16 – 4.16.61

  • redhat

    openshift_container_platform4.17 – 4.17.53

  • redhat

    openshift_container_platform4.18 – 4.18.40

  • redhat

    openshift_container_platform4.19 – 4.19.30

  • redhat

    openshift_container_platform4.20 – 4.20.21

  • redhat

    openshift_container_platform4.21 – 4.21.14

  • redhat

    openshift_container_platform

  • siemens

    simatic_ax_runtime

  • suse

    caas_platform

  • suse

    enterprise_storage

  • suse

    manager_proxy

  • suse

    manager_retail_branch_server

  • suse

    manager_server

  • suse

    openstack_cloud

References & sources

Linked CVEs

Show 368 more CVEs
IDCVE-2025-71069
Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities — CVE-2025-71069 | NEOSEC Intel