CVE-2025-38018Network attack vector

Kernel panic via stale TLS parser state

Published Jun 18, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel TLS parser allows remote attackers to crash the kernel through crafted TLS traffic. The tls_strp_flush_anchor_copy() error path detaches the receive queue after alloc_page() fails but leaves full_len set, so tls_strp_check_queue_ok() later follows a NULL frag_list pointer. Exploitation requires a partial kernel TLS record and allocation failure under memory pressure; the resulting panic interrupts the host, with no reported data disclosure or modification.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.44%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel TLS parser allows remote attackers to crash the kernel through crafted TLS traffic. The tls_strp_flush_anchor_copy() error path detaches the receive queue after alloc_page() fails but leaves full_len set, so tls_strp_check_queue_ok() later follows a NULL frag_list pointer. Exploitation requires a partial kernel TLS record and allocation failure under memory pressure; the resulting panic interrupts the host, with no reported data disclosure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38018
Published
Jun 18, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 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=6.0
  2. Affected versionversion=84c61fe1a75b4255df1e1e7c054c9e6d048da417 <406d05da26835943568e61bb751c569efae071d4
  3. Affected versionversion=84c61fe1a75b4255df1e1e7c054c9e6d048da417 <491deb9b8c4ad12fe51d554a69b8165b9ef9429f
  4. Affected versionversion=84c61fe1a75b4255df1e1e7c054c9e6d048da417 <5f1f833cb388592bb46104463a1ec1b7c41975b6
  5. Affected versionversion=84c61fe1a75b4255df1e1e7c054c9e6d048da417 <8f7f96549bc55e4ef3a6b499bc5011e5de2f46c4
  6. Affected versionversion=84c61fe1a75b4255df1e1e7c054c9e6d048da417 <a11b8c0be6acd0505a58ff40d474bd778b25b93a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.0; version=84c61fe1a75b4255df1e1e7c054c9e6d048da417 <406d05da26835943568e61bb751c569efae071d4; version=84c61fe1a75b4255df1e1e7c054c9e6d048da417 <491deb9b8c4ad12fe51d554a69b8165b9ef9429f; version=84c61fe1a75b4255df1e1e7c054c9e6d048da417 <5f1f833cb388592bb46104463a1ec1b7c41975b6; version=84c61fe1a75b4255df1e1e7c054c9e6d048da417 <8f7f96549bc55e4ef3a6b499bc5011e5de2f46c4; version=84c61fe1a75b4255df1e1e7c054c9e6d048da417 <a11b8c0be6acd0505a58ff40d474bd778b25b93a

Published CVSS scores

7.5Linux CNACVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5CanonicalCVSS: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

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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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