The kernel’s filesystem integrity (fs‑integrity) module contains a flaw in its handling of BIP_CHECK flags. When these flags are not correctly evaluated, the system may generate or verify integrity metadata for non‑PI data, producing corrupted metadata and causing a crash in the verification handler. The fault is a failure in proper input validation and error handling, leading to an improper initialization problem.

All Linux kernel releases that include the fs‑integrity code path and have not incorporated the upstream fix are susceptible. The vulnerability is not tied to a specific kernel version range, so any kernel containing the unpatched code before the commit shown in the provided references could be affected. Distributions that ship the kernel with fs‑integrity enabled are included.

The CVSS score is not disclosed and EPSS information is unavailable. The defect leads to a kernel panic, effectively denying system availability. The attack vector is most likely local; a privileged process with access to block devices or a malicious block‑device driver could trigger the malformed metadata path. Although no exploits are listed in CISA’s KEV catalog, the severity of a kernel crash warrants prompt patching.