CVE-2025-37838

Local kernel memory corruption via transmit-work race

Published Apr 18, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux HSI ssi_protocol driver allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through a module-removal race. ssi_protocol_remove() frees ssi without first canceling ssip_xmit_work(), which can dereference and modify the released object. A local process must queue Phonet transmissions while driver teardown or interface shutdown occurs, enabling kernel reads, writes, or a crash.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.25%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Linux HSI ssi_protocol driver allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through a module-removal race. ssi_protocol_remove() frees ssi without first canceling ssip_xmit_work(), which can dereference and modify the released object. A local process must queue Phonet transmissions while driver teardown or interface shutdown occurs, enabling kernel reads, writes, or a crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-37838
Published
Apr 18, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 18, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.8
  2. Affected versionversion=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <4a8c29beb8a02b5a0a9d77d608aa14b6f88a6b86
  3. Affected versionversion=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <4b4194c9a7a8f92db39e8e86c85f4fb12ebbec4f
  4. Affected versionversion=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <58eb29dba712ab0f13af59ca2fe545f5ce360e78
  5. Affected versionversion=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <72972552d0d0bfeb2dec5daf343a19018db36ffa
  6. Affected versionversion=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <834e602d0cc7c743bfce734fad4a46cefc0f9ab1
  7. Affected versionversion=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <ae5a6a0b425e8f76a9f0677e50796e494e89b088
  8. Affected versionversion=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <d03abc1c2b21324550fa71e12d53e7d3498e0af6
  9. Affected versionversion=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <d58493832e284f066e559b8da5ab20c15a2801d3
  10. Affected versionversion=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <e3f88665a78045fe35c7669d2926b8d97b892c11

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.8; version=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <4a8c29beb8a02b5a0a9d77d608aa14b6f88a6b86; version=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <4b4194c9a7a8f92db39e8e86c85f4fb12ebbec4f; version=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <58eb29dba712ab0f13af59ca2fe545f5ce360e78; version=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <72972552d0d0bfeb2dec5daf343a19018db36ffa; version=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <834e602d0cc7c743bfce734fad4a46cefc0f9ab1; version=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <ae5a6a0b425e8f76a9f0677e50796e494e89b088; version=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <d03abc1c2b21324550fa71e12d53e7d3498e0af6; version=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <d58493832e284f066e559b8da5ab20c15a2801d3; version=df26d639e2f4628732a8da5a0f71e4e652ce809b <e3f88665a78045fe35c7669d2926b8d97b892c11

Published CVSS scores

7.8kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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