CVE-2025-38094

System deadlock via stalled MACB transmit halt

Published Jul 3, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Improper locking in the Linux kernel allows local users to deadlock systems using the Cadence MACB Ethernet driver. The macb_halt_tx function polls transmit-go status with a jiffies-based timeout after disabling interrupts, so jiffies cannot advance when TGO remains asserted after THALT. Triggering the flaw requires local low-privileged access and affected Cadence MACB hardware; the resulting deadlock can leave the device locked indefinitely.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper locking in the Linux kernel allows local users to deadlock systems using the Cadence MACB Ethernet driver. The macb_halt_tx function polls transmit-go status with a jiffies-based timeout after disabling interrupts, so jiffies cannot advance when TGO remains asserted after THALT. Triggering the flaw requires local low-privileged access and affected Cadence MACB hardware; the resulting deadlock can leave the device locked indefinitely.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38094
Published
Jul 3, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-667, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 3, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 11, 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=3.8
  2. Affected versionversion=e86cd53afc5907f7c221b709916e2dd354e14691 <0772a608d799ac0d127c0a36047a2725777aba9d
  3. Affected versionversion=e86cd53afc5907f7c221b709916e2dd354e14691 <1d60c0781c1bbeaa1196b0d8aad5c435f06cb7c4
  4. Affected versionversion=e86cd53afc5907f7c221b709916e2dd354e14691 <3e64d35475aa21d13dab71da51de51923c1a3a48
  5. Affected versionversion=e86cd53afc5907f7c221b709916e2dd354e14691 <64675a9c00443b2e8af42af08c38fc1b78b68ba2
  6. Affected versionversion=e86cd53afc5907f7c221b709916e2dd354e14691 <84f98955a9de0e0f591df85aa1a44f3ebcf1cb37
  7. Affected versionversion=e86cd53afc5907f7c221b709916e2dd354e14691 <aace6b63892ce8307e502a60fe2f5a4bc6e1cfe7
  8. Affected versionversion=e86cd53afc5907f7c221b709916e2dd354e14691 <c92d6089d8ad7d4d815ebcedee3f3907b539ff1f

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.8; version=e86cd53afc5907f7c221b709916e2dd354e14691 <0772a608d799ac0d127c0a36047a2725777aba9d; version=e86cd53afc5907f7c221b709916e2dd354e14691 <1d60c0781c1bbeaa1196b0d8aad5c435f06cb7c4; version=e86cd53afc5907f7c221b709916e2dd354e14691 <3e64d35475aa21d13dab71da51de51923c1a3a48; version=e86cd53afc5907f7c221b709916e2dd354e14691 <64675a9c00443b2e8af42af08c38fc1b78b68ba2; version=e86cd53afc5907f7c221b709916e2dd354e14691 <84f98955a9de0e0f591df85aa1a44f3ebcf1cb37; version=e86cd53afc5907f7c221b709916e2dd354e14691 <aace6b63892ce8307e502a60fe2f5a4bc6e1cfe7; version=e86cd53afc5907f7c221b709916e2dd354e14691 <c92d6089d8ad7d4d815ebcedee3f3907b539ff1f

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-667Improper Locking
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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