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OpenAdvisories
High · 7.3 CVE-2025-39738 EUVD-2025-28973GHSA-8x83-vv5w-vmh3

btrfs: do not allow relocation of partially dropped subvolumes

Published Sep 11, 2025 · Updated Oct 15, 2026 · Assigned by Linux

Vendor: Linux Product: Linux Package: kernel Package: linux Package: linux Package: linux-allwinner-5.19 Package: linux-aws Package: linux-aws-5.0 Package: linux-aws-5.11 Package: linux-aws-5.13 Package: linux-aws-5.15 Package: linux-aws-5.19 Package: linux-aws-5.3 Package: linux-aws-5.8 Package: linux-aws-6.14 Package: linux-aws-6.2 Package: linux-aws-6.5 Package: linux-aws-6.8 Package: linux-aws-fips Package: linux-azure Package: linux-azure-5.11 Package: linux-azure-5.13 Package: linux-azure-5.15 Package: linux-azure-5.19 Package: linux-azure-5.3 Package: linux-azure-5.8 Package: linux-azure-6.11 Package: linux-azure-6.14 Package: linux-azure-6.2 Package: linux-azure-6.5 Package: linux-azure-6.8 Package: linux-azure-edge Package: linux-azure-fde Package: linux-azure-fde-5.19 Package: linux-azure-fde-6.14 Package: linux-azure-fde-6.2 Package: linux-azure-fde-6.8 Package: linux-azure-fips Package: linux-azure-nvidia Package: linux-azure-nvidia-6.14 Package: linux-bluefield Package: linux-fips Package: linux-gcp Package: linux-gcp-5.11 Package: linux-gcp-5.13 Package: linux-gcp-5.15 Package: linux-gcp-5.19 Package: linux-gcp-5.3 Package: linux-gcp-5.8 Package: linux-gcp-6.11 Package: linux-gcp-6.14 Package: linux-gcp-6.2 Package: linux-gcp-6.5 Package: linux-gcp-6.8 Package: linux-gcp-fips Package: linux-gke Package: linux-gke-4.15 Package: linux-gke-5.15 Package: linux-gke-5.4 Package: linux-gkeop Package: linux-gkeop-5.15 Package: linux-gkeop-5.4 Package: linux-hwe Package: linux-hwe-5.11 Package: linux-hwe-5.13 Package: linux-hwe-5.15 Package: linux-hwe-5.19 Package: linux-hwe-5.8 Package: linux-hwe-6.11 Package: linux-hwe-6.14 Package: linux-hwe-6.2 Package: linux-hwe-6.5 Package: linux-hwe-6.8 Package: linux-hwe-edge Package: linux-ibm Package: linux-ibm-5.15 Package: linux-ibm-6.8 Package: linux-intel Package: linux-intel-5.13 Package: linux-intel-iot-realtime Package: linux-intel-iotg Package: linux-intel-iotg-5.15 Package: linux-kvm Package: linux-lowlatency Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 Package: linux-nvidia Package: linux-nvidia-6.11 Package: linux-nvidia-6.2 Package: linux-nvidia-6.5 Package: linux-nvidia-6.8 Package: linux-nvidia-lowlatency Package: linux-nvidia-tegra Package: linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 Package: linux-nvidia-tegra-igx Package: linux-oem Package: linux-oem-5.10 Package: linux-oem-5.13 Package: linux-oem-5.14 Package: linux-oem-5.17 Package: linux-oem-5.6 Package: linux-oem-6.0 Package: linux-oem-6.1 Package: linux-oem-6.11 Package: linux-oem-6.14 Package: linux-oem-6.5 Package: linux-oem-6.8 Package: linux-oracle Package: linux-oracle-5.0 Package: linux-oracle-5.11 Package: linux-oracle-5.13 Package: linux-oracle-5.15 Package: linux-oracle-5.3 Package: linux-oracle-5.8 Package: linux-oracle-6.14 Package: linux-oracle-6.5 Package: linux-oracle-6.8 Package: linux-raspi Package: linux-raspi-realtime Package: linux-raspi2 Package: linux-realtime Package: linux-realtime-6.14 Package: linux-realtime-6.8 Package: linux-riscv Package: linux-riscv-5.11 Package: linux-riscv-5.15 Package: linux-riscv-5.19 Package: linux-riscv-5.8 Package: linux-riscv-6.14 Package: linux-riscv-6.5 Package: linux-riscv-6.8 Package: linux-starfive-5.19 Package: linux-starfive-6.2 Package: linux-starfive-6.5 Package: linux-vmware Package: linux-xilinx Package: linux-xilinx-zynqmp Platform: Linux Ecosystem: Azure Linux Ecosystem: Debian Ecosystem: Ubuntu

Description

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

btrfs: do not allow relocation of partially dropped subvolumes

[BUG]
There is an internal report that balance triggered transaction abort,
with the following call trace:

item 85 key (594509824 169 0) itemoff 12599 itemsize 33
extent refs 1 gen 197740 flags 2
ref#0: tree block backref root 7
item 86 key (594558976 169 0) itemoff 12566 itemsize 33
extent refs 1 gen 197522 flags 2
ref#0: tree block backref root 7
...
BTRFS error (device loop0): extent item not found for insert, bytenr 594526208 num_bytes 16384 parent 449921024 root_objectid 934 owner 1 offset 0
BTRFS error (device loop0): failed to run delayed ref for logical 594526208 num_bytes 16384 type 182 action 1 ref_mod 1: -117
------------[ cut here ]------------
BTRFS: Transaction aborted (error -117)
WARNING: CPU: 1 PID: 6963 at ../fs/btrfs/extent-tree.c:2168 btrfs_run_delayed_refs+0xfa/0x110 [btrfs]

And btrfs check doesn't report anything wrong related to the extent
tree.

[CAUSE]
The cause is a little complex, firstly the extent tree indeed doesn't
have the backref for 594526208.

The extent tree only have the following two backrefs around that bytenr
on-disk:

item 65 key (594509824 METADATA_ITEM 0) itemoff 13880 itemsize 33
refs 1 gen 197740 flags TREE_BLOCK
tree block skinny level 0
(176 0x7) tree block backref root CSUM_TREE
item 66 key (594558976 METADATA_ITEM 0) itemoff 13847 itemsize 33
refs 1 gen 197522 flags TREE_BLOCK
tree block skinny level 0
(176 0x7) tree block backref root CSUM_TREE

But the such missing backref item is not an corruption on disk, as the
offending delayed ref belongs to subvolume 934, and that subvolume is
being dropped:

item 0 key (934 ROOT_ITEM 198229) itemoff 15844 itemsize 439
generation 198229 root_dirid 256 bytenr 10741039104 byte_limit 0 bytes_used 345571328
last_snapshot 198229 flags 0x1000000000001(RDONLY) refs 0
drop_progress key (206324 EXTENT_DATA 2711650304) drop_level 2
level 2 generation_v2 198229

And that offending tree block 594526208 is inside the dropped range of
that subvolume. That explains why there is no backref item for that
bytenr and why btrfs check is not reporting anything wrong.

But this also shows another problem, as btrfs will do all the orphan
subvolume cleanup at a read-write mount.

So half-dropped subvolume should not exist after an RW mount, and
balance itself is also exclusive to subvolume cleanup, meaning we
shouldn't hit a subvolume half-dropped during relocation.

The root cause is, there is no orphan item for this subvolume.
In fact there are 5 subvolumes from around 2021 that have the same
problem.

It looks like the original report has some older kernels running, and
caused those zombie subvolumes.

Thankfully upstream commit 8d488a8c7ba2 ("btrfs: fix subvolume/snapshot
deletion not triggered on mount") has long fixed the bug.

[ENHANCEMENT]
For repairing such old fs, btrfs-progs will be enhanced.

Considering how delayed the problem will show up (at run delayed ref
time) and at that time we have to abort transaction already, it is too
late.

Instead here we reject any half-dropped subvolume for reloc tree at the
earliest time, preventing confusion and extra time wasted on debugging
similar bugs.

Affected products

VendorProductAffectedFixed
Linux Linux 5.11 5.15.190

Fixed in Linux distributions

Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian 14 linux 6.16.3-1 —
Debian 13 linux 6.12.43-1 —
Debian 12 linux 6.1.153-1 DSA-6009-1
Debian 11 linux-6.1 6.1.153-1~deb11u1 DLA-4328-1
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu Nvidia-BlueField 24.04 LTS linux-bluefield 6.8.0-1016.20 —
Ubuntu Nvidia-BlueField 22.04 LTS linux-bluefield 5.15.0-1081.83 —
Ubuntu 25.10 linux-azure-fde No fix yet —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux 6.8.0-100.100 USN-8028-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-aws +1 6.8.0-1046.49 USN-8028-5
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-azure 6.8.0-1046.52 USN-8074-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-azure-fde 6.8.0-1046.53 —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-azure-nvidia 6.8.0-1039.42 —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-gcp 6.8.0-1047.50 USN-8031-3
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-gke 6.8.0-1043.48 USN-8031-3
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-gkeop 6.8.0-1030.33 USN-8028-5
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-ibm 6.8.0-1044.44 USN-8028-8
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-intel +19 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-lowlatency 6.8.0-100.100.1 USN-8052-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-nvidia-lowlatency 6.8.0-1046.49.1 USN-8028-7
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra 6.8.0-1020.20 —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-oracle 6.8.0-1043.44 USN-8028-5
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-raspi 6.8.0-1047.51 USN-8028-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-xilinx 6.8.0-1023.24 USN-8052-2
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux +1 5.15.0-163.173 USN-7909-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-aws 5.15.0-1097.104 USN-7909-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-aws-6.8 +1 6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1 USN-8028-5
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure 5.15.0-1101.110 USN-7910-2
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure-6.8 6.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1 USN-8126-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure-fde 5.15.0-1102.111.1 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure-fde-6.8 6.8.0-1046.53~22.04.1 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gcp 5.15.0-1097.106 USN-7909-4
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gcp-6.8 6.8.0-1047.50~22.04.2 USN-8031-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gke 5.15.0-1093.99 USN-7909-4
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gkeop 5.15.0-1080.88 USN-7909-4
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-hwe-6.8 +1 6.8.0-100.100~22.04.1 USN-8028-6
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-ibm +1 5.15.0-1091.94 USN-7909-5, USN-7909-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-ibm-6.8 6.8.0-1044.44~22.04.1 USN-8028-8
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-intel-iotg 5.15.0-1092.98 USN-7909-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-kvm 5.15.0-1089.94 USN-7933-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 6.8.0-100.100.1~22.04.1 USN-8028-6
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-nvidia 5.15.0-1092.93 USN-7909-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra 5.15.0-1049.49 USN-7909-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra-igx 5.15.0-1038.38 USN-7909-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-oracle 5.15.0-1094.100 USN-7909-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-oracle-6.8 6.8.0-1043.44~22.04.1 USN-8028-5
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-riscv +32 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-xilinx-zynqmp 5.15.0-1061.65 USN-7909-1
Show 9 more (older releases, extended support, other products)
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS linux-gke +28 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 18.04 LTS linux-gcp +14 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS linux-hwe-edge No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS linux-raspi-realtime 6.8.0-2037.38 USN-8028-3
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS linux-realtime 6.8.1-1041.42 USN-8028-3
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS linux-realtime-6.14 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS linux-intel-iot-realtime 5.15.0-1089.91 USN-7909-2
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS linux-realtime 5.15.0-1096.105 USN-7909-2
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS linux-realtime-6.8 6.8.1-1041.42~22.04.1 USN-8028-2
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS linux-aws-fips 6.8.0-1046.49+fips1 USN-8028-4
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS linux-azure-fips 6.8.0-1046.52+fips1 USN-8074-2
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS linux-fips 6.8.0-100.100+fips1 USN-8028-4
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS linux-gcp-fips 6.8.0-1047.50+fips1 USN-8031-2
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 22.04 LTS linux-aws-fips 5.15.0-1097.104+fips1 USN-7909-3
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 22.04 LTS linux-azure-fips 5.15.0-1101.110+fips1 USN-7910-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 22.04 LTS linux-fips 5.15.0-163.173+fips1 USN-7909-3
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 22.04 LTS linux-gcp-fips 5.15.0-1097.106+fips1 USN-7909-3
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-preview 22.04 LTS linux-fips +3 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-aws-5.15 5.15.0-1097.104~20.04.1 USN-7909-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-azure-5.15 5.15.0-1102.111~20.04.1 USN-7938-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-gcp-5.15 5.15.0-1097.106~20.04.1 USN-7909-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-hwe-5.15 +1 5.15.0-163.173~20.04.1 USN-7909-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-ibm-5.15 5.15.0-1091.94~20.04.1 USN-7909-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-intel-iotg-5.15 5.15.0-1092.98~20.04.1 USN-7909-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 5.15.0-1049.49~20.04.1 USN-7909-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-oracle-5.15 5.15.0-1094.100~20.04.1 USN-7909-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-riscv-5.15 5.15.0-1092.96~20.04.1 —
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
SLES 15 SP7 kernel-64kb +6 6.4.0-150700.53.19.1 SUSE-SU-2025:03601-1
SLES 15 SP7 kernel-azure +1 6.4.0-150700.20.15.2 SUSE-SU-2025:03633-1
SLES 15 SP7 kernel-default-base 6.4.0-150700.53.19.1.150700.17.13.1 SUSE-SU-2025:03601-1
SLES 15 SP7 kernel-syms-azure 6.4.0-150700.20.15.1 SUSE-SU-2025:03633-1
SLES 15 SP6 kernel-64kb +6 6.4.0-150600.23.73.1 SUSE-SU-2025:03600-1
SLES 15 SP6 kernel-azure +2 6.4.0-150600.8.52.1 SUSE-SU-2025:03634-1
SLES 15 SP6 kernel-default-base 6.4.0-150600.23.73.1.150600.12.32.1 SUSE-SU-2025:03600-1
Show 9 more (older releases, extended support, other products)
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
SLES for SAP 16.0 kernel-64kb +7 6.12.0-160000.6.1 SUSE-SU-2025:21139-1
SLES for SAP 16.0 kernel-default-base 6.12.0-160000.6.1.160000.2.4 SUSE-SU-2025:21139-1
SLES 16.0 kernel-64kb +7 6.12.0-160000.6.1 SUSE-SU-2025:21179-1, SUSE-SU-2025:21139-1
SLES 16.0 kernel-default-base 6.12.0-160000.6.1.160000.2.4 SUSE-SU-2025:21139-1
SLE Micro 6.2 kernel-default-base 6.12.0-160000.6.1.160000.2.4 SUSE-SU-2025:21074-1
SLE Micro 6.2 kernel-rt +5 6.12.0-160000.6.1 SUSE-SU-2026:20560-1, SUSE-SU-2025:21074-1
SLE Micro 6.1 kernel-default-base 6.4.0-35.1.21.12 SUSE-SU-2025:20861-1
SLE Micro 6.1 kernel-rt +1 6.4.0-37.1 SUSE-SU-2025:20898-1
SLE Micro 6.1 kernel-source +2 6.4.0-35.1 SUSE-SU-2025:20861-1
SLE Micro 6.0 kernel-default-base 6.4.0-35.1.21.12 SUSE-SU-2025:20851-1
SLE Micro 6.0 kernel-rt +1 6.4.0-37.1 SUSE-SU-2025:20870-1
SLE Micro 6.0 kernel-source +2 6.4.0-35.1 SUSE-SU-2025:20851-1
SLE Live Patching 15 SP7 kernel-default 6.4.0-150700.53.19.1 SUSE-SU-2025:03601-1
SLE Live Patching 15 SP7 kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7-RT_Update_5 1-150700.1.3.1 SUSE-SU-2025:3725-1
SLE Live Patching 15 SP7 kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7_Update_5 1-150700.15.3.1 SUSE-SU-2025:03601-1
SLE Live Patching 15 SP6 kernel-default 6.4.0-150600.23.73.1 SUSE-SU-2025:03600-1
SLE Live Patching 15 SP6 kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6-RT_Update_16 1-150600.1.3.1 SUSE-SU-2025:3751-1
SLE Live Patching 15 SP6 kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_16 1-150600.13.3.1 SUSE-SU-2025:03600-1
SUSE Real Time Module 15 SP7 kernel-rt +2 6.4.0-150700.7.19.1 SUSE-SU-2025:3725-1
SUSE Real Time Module 15 SP6 kernel-rt +3 6.4.0-150600.10.55.1 SUSE-SU-2025:3751-1
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
openSUSE Leap 16.0 kernel-default-base 6.12.0-160000.6.1.160000.2.4 openSUSE-SU-2025:20081-1
openSUSE Leap 16.0 kernel-rt +10 6.12.0-160000.6.1 openSUSE-SU-2025:20081-1
openSUSE Leap 15.6 dtb-aarch64 +10 6.4.0-150600.23.73.1 SUSE-SU-2025:03600-1
openSUSE Leap 15.6 kernel-azure +2 6.4.0-150600.8.52.1 SUSE-SU-2025:03634-1
openSUSE Leap 15.6 kernel-default-base 6.4.0-150600.23.73.1.150600.12.32.1 SUSE-SU-2025:03600-1
openSUSE Leap 15.6 kernel-rt +3 6.4.0-150600.10.55.1 SUSE-SU-2025:3751-1

Amazon Linux

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Amazon Linux 2023 kernel-livepatch-6.12.46-66.121 +1 1:1.0-0.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2025-1208, ALAS2023-2025-1186
Amazon Linux 2023 perf +14 1:6.1.150-174.273.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2025-1186
Amazon Linux 2023 perf6.12 +14 1:6.12.46-66.121.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2025-1208

Azure Linux

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Azure Linux 3 kernel 6.6.104.2-1 —
Azure Linux 2 (CBL-Mariner) kernel 5.15.200.1-1 —

Oracle Linux

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Oracle Linux 9 kernel-uek +34 6.12.0-104.43.4.2.el10uek ELSA-2025-20662
Oracle Linux 8 bpftool +18 5.15.0-314.193.5.3.el9uek ELSA-2025-25757

Advisories 50

References