CVE-2025-38087

Local privilege escalation via unprotected taprio notifier race

Published Jun 30, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel taprio scheduler allows local users to read and write kernel memory by winning a notifier race. taprio_dev_notifier reads scheduling data without an RCU read-side lock while advance_sched can retire that data, and a later update writes attacker-influenced values into the reclaimed object. Access requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in a network namespace, obtainable by an unprivileged local user through a user namespace; successful exploitation grants kernel-memory control or crashes the host.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.15%
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 kernel taprio scheduler allows local users to read and write kernel memory by winning a notifier race. taprio_dev_notifier reads scheduling data without an RCU read-side lock while advance_sched can retire that data, and a later update writes attacker-influenced values into the reclaimed object. Access requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in a network namespace, obtainable by an unprivileged local user through a user namespace; successful exploitation grants kernel-memory control or crashes the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38087
Published
Jun 30, 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. Jun 30, 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=6.3
  2. Affected versionversion=fed87cc6718ad5f80aa739fee3c5979a8b09d3a6 <8a008c89e5e5c5332e4c0a33d707db9ddd529f8a
  3. Affected versionversion=fed87cc6718ad5f80aa739fee3c5979a8b09d3a6 <8c5713ce1ced75f9e9ed5c642ea3d2ba06ead69c
  4. Affected versionversion=fed87cc6718ad5f80aa739fee3c5979a8b09d3a6 <b1547d28ba468bc3b88764efd13e4319bab63be8
  5. Affected versionversion=fed87cc6718ad5f80aa739fee3c5979a8b09d3a6 <b160766e26d4e2e2d6fe2294e0b02f92baefcec5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.3; version=fed87cc6718ad5f80aa739fee3c5979a8b09d3a6 <8a008c89e5e5c5332e4c0a33d707db9ddd529f8a; version=fed87cc6718ad5f80aa739fee3c5979a8b09d3a6 <8c5713ce1ced75f9e9ed5c642ea3d2ba06ead69c; version=fed87cc6718ad5f80aa739fee3c5979a8b09d3a6 <b1547d28ba468bc3b88764efd13e4319bab63be8; version=fed87cc6718ad5f80aa739fee3c5979a8b09d3a6 <b160766e26d4e2e2d6fe2294e0b02f92baefcec5

Published CVSS scores

7.8LinuxCVSS: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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 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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