CVE-2025-37854

Local privilege escalation via amdkfd reset race

Published May 9, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux amdkfd driver allows local users with render-node access to corrupt kernel memory during mode1 AMD GPU reset. During recovery, kfd_process_wq_release frees system-memory and VRAM objects before live user queues stop using their GPU mappings, leaving reallocated kernel data writable. A local unprivileged process must access /dev/kfd and a DRM render node, create and map queues, force a scheduler hang, and exit; the race supports kernel-memory disclosure or corruption, privilege escalation, and a driver or kernel crash.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.25%
Next 30 days · Sep 17, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Linux amdkfd driver allows local users with render-node access to corrupt kernel memory during mode1 AMD GPU reset. During recovery, kfd_process_wq_release frees system-memory and VRAM objects before live user queues stop using their GPU mappings, leaving reallocated kernel data writable. A local unprivileged process must access /dev/kfd and a DRM render node, create and map queues, force a scheduler hang, and exit; the race supports kernel-memory disclosure or corruption, privilege escalation, and a driver or kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-37854
Published
May 9, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 9, 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=5.18
  2. Affected versionversion=a4c63cafa58b4bd9e15511bab77a4752b93d3aa0 <57c9dabda80ac167de8cd71231baae37cc2f442d
  3. Affected versionversion=a4c63cafa58b4bd9e15511bab77a4752b93d3aa0 <6f30a847432cae84c7428e9b684b3e3fa49b2391
  4. Affected versionversion=a4c63cafa58b4bd9e15511bab77a4752b93d3aa0 <89af6b39f028c130d4362f57042927f005423e6a
  5. Affected versionversion=a4c63cafa58b4bd9e15511bab77a4752b93d3aa0 <9c4bcdf4068aae3e17e31c144300be405cfa03ff
  6. Affected versionversion=a4c63cafa58b4bd9e15511bab77a4752b93d3aa0 <f0b4440cdc1807bb6ec3dce0d6de81170803569b
  7. Affected versionversion=a4c63cafa58b4bd9e15511bab77a4752b93d3aa0 <ffd37d7d44d7e0b6e769d4fe6590e327f8cc3951

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.18; version=a4c63cafa58b4bd9e15511bab77a4752b93d3aa0 <57c9dabda80ac167de8cd71231baae37cc2f442d; version=a4c63cafa58b4bd9e15511bab77a4752b93d3aa0 <6f30a847432cae84c7428e9b684b3e3fa49b2391; version=a4c63cafa58b4bd9e15511bab77a4752b93d3aa0 <89af6b39f028c130d4362f57042927f005423e6a; version=a4c63cafa58b4bd9e15511bab77a4752b93d3aa0 <9c4bcdf4068aae3e17e31c144300be405cfa03ff; version=a4c63cafa58b4bd9e15511bab77a4752b93d3aa0 <f0b4440cdc1807bb6ec3dce0d6de81170803569b; version=a4c63cafa58b4bd9e15511bab77a4752b93d3aa0 <ffd37d7d44d7e0b6e769d4fe6590e327f8cc3951

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.5Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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No observations available

Sep 11, 2026Sep 17, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 17, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
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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