Local pipe-allocation denial via accounting underflow
Published Apr 16, 2025 · Updated May 23, 2026
Integer underflow in Linux kernel watch queues allows local users to block subsequent pipe-buffer allocations with an EPERM error. watch_queue_set_size() charges user->pipe_bufs without synchronizing pipe->nr_accounted, so freeing the pipe subtracts a different buffer count and can underflow the user accounting. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and watch-queue pipe creation; the reported consequence is denial of later pipe-buffer allocations, not a kernel crash or data compromise.
Summary
What happened
Integer underflow in Linux kernel watch queues allows local users to block subsequent pipe-buffer allocations with an EPERM error. watch_queue_set_size() charges user->pipe_bufs without synchronizing pipe->nr_accounted, so freeing the pipe subtracts a different buffer count and can underflow the user accounting. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and watch-queue pipe creation; the reported consequence is denial of later pipe-buffer allocations, not a kernel crash or data compromise.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-23138
- Published
- Apr 16, 2025
- Updated
- May 23, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-191, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 16, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 23, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=162ae0e78bdabf84ef10c1293c4ed7865cb7d3c8 <8658c75343ed00e5e154ebbe24335f51ba8db547
- Affected versionversion=3efbd114b91525bb095b8ae046382197d92126b9 <471c89b7d4f58bd6082f7c1fe14d4ca15c7f1284
- Affected versionversion=5.10.210 <5.10.236
- Affected versionversion=5.15.149 <5.15.180
- Affected versionversion=6.1.76 <6.1.134
- Affected versionversion=6.6.15 <6.6.87
- Affected versionversion=6.7.3 <6.8
- Affected versionversion=6.8
- Affected versionversion=68e51bdb1194f11d3452525b99c98aff6f837b24 <6dafa27764183738dc5368b669b71e3d0d154f12
- Affected versionversion=6fb70694f8d1ac34e45246b0ac988f025e1e5b55
- Affected versionversion=b87a1229d8668fbc78ebd9ca0fc797a76001c60f <d40e3537265dea9e3c33021874437ff26dc18787
- Affected versionversion=e95aada4cb93d42e25c30a0ef9eb2923d9711d4a <205028ebba838938d3b264dda1d0708fa7fe1ade
- Affected versionversion=e95aada4cb93d42e25c30a0ef9eb2923d9711d4a <2d680b988656bb556c863d8b46d9b9096842bf3d
- Affected versionversion=e95aada4cb93d42e25c30a0ef9eb2923d9711d4a <56ec918e6c86c1536870e4373e91eddd0c44245f
- Affected versionversion=e95aada4cb93d42e25c30a0ef9eb2923d9711d4a <f13abc1e8e1a3b7455511c4e122750127f6bc9b0
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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