CVE-2025-38012

Privilege escalation via uninitialized BPF iterator pointer

Published Jun 18, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Uninitialized-pointer access in Linux kernel 6.12 through 6.14.7 allows local users with CAP_BPF to gain kernel privileges via a BPF program. On an error from bpf_iter_scx_dsq_new(), attacker-seeded iterator fields remain uncleared, letting next() walk arbitrary list pointers and mutate kernel memory. Exploitation requires local CAP_BPF access; the resulting read and write primitives expose kernel data, grant full privilege escalation, or panic the host.

CVSS severity7.8

High

EPSS probability0.18%

Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026

Known exploitationUnconfirmed

Based on sourced intelligence

Hinoki checkNot available

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Summary

What happened

The record

CVE: CVE-2025-38012
Published: Jun 18, 2025
Updated: Aug 5, 2026

Vendor: The Linux Kernel Organization
Product: Linux
Classifications: CWE-824, T1068

Attack vector: local
Privileges: authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

Jun 18, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
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.

Affected versionversion=6.12
Affected versionversion=650ba21b131ed1f8ee57826b2c6295a3be221132 <0102989af4c334d1d98b2a0fd4d61a5152e39b72
Affected versionversion=650ba21b131ed1f8ee57826b2c6295a3be221132 <255dd31bfc4a67a19b1fc2cd130a50284dadfe3a
Affected versionversion=650ba21b131ed1f8ee57826b2c6295a3be221132 <428dc9fc0873989d73918d4a9cc22745b7bbc799

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal

Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.12; version=650ba21b131ed1f8ee57826b2c6295a3be221132 <0102989af4c334d1d98b2a0fd4d61a5152e39b72; version=650ba21b131ed1f8ee57826b2c6295a3be221132 <255dd31bfc4a67a19b1fc2cd130a50284dadfe3a; version=650ba21b131ed1f8ee57826b2c6295a3be221132 <428dc9fc0873989d73918d4a9cc22745b7bbc799

Published CVSS scores

5.5Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

5.5Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

7.8Linux CNACVSS: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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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

CWE-824Access of Uninitialized Pointer

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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