A vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's ocfs2 filesystem where the read path for zero‑cluster (fast) symlinks does not properly validate the inline symlink target length or its null termination. If an attacker provides a malformed dinode with an i_size that exceeds the inline buffer or omits the terminating NUL, the kernel copies past the end of the inode block, resulting in an out‑of‑bounds read that can trigger a KASAN use‑after‑free and crash the system.

Any Linux kernel that implements ocfs2 and uses the default inode read code prior to the patch directories referenced in the advisories. System administrators should review which kernel versions they run and whether ocfs2 is in use. No specific kernel versions are listed, so all kernels with the original implementation are potentially affected.

The CVSS score is 9.8 and the EPSS is < 1%. The vulnerability requires an attacker who can write a corrupted inode on an ocfs2 filesystem. This condition is inferred to be a local attack vector because the description does not mention remote code execution or network exposure. The impact of successfully exploiting the flaw is a system crash or denial of service. The lack of a publicly available exploit and the fact that the vulnerability is not listed in CISA’s KEV catalog reduce the immediate risk, though patching remains recommended.