CVE-2025-38108

Kernel compromise via RED queue-length race

Published Jul 3, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Race condition in the Linux RED scheduler allows local users to compromise the kernel through concurrent RED changes and SFQ rehashing. __red_change() releases the root lock after flushing backlog, allowing an SFQ timer rehash to reduce the same backlog before qdisc_put() and underflow the parent queue length. CAP_NET_ADMIN in the owning user namespace is required; the resulting stale queue state enables kernel memory disclosure, corruption, or panic.

CVSS severity7.8
High
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

Race condition in the Linux RED scheduler allows local users to compromise the kernel through concurrent RED changes and SFQ rehashing. __red_change() releases the root lock after flushing backlog, allowing an SFQ timer rehash to reduce the same backlog before qdisc_put() and underflow the parent queue length. CAP_NET_ADMIN in the owning user namespace is required; the resulting stale queue state enables kernel memory disclosure, corruption, or panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38108
Published
Jul 3, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-362, T1068, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 3, 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=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <110a47efcf23438ff8d31dbd9c854fae2a48bf98
  2. Affected versionversion=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <2790c4ec481be45a80948d059cd7c9a06bc37493
  3. Affected versionversion=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <2a71924ca4af59ffc00f0444732b6cd54b153d0e
  4. Affected versionversion=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <444ad445df5496a785705019268a8a84b84484bb
  5. Affected versionversion=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <4b755305b2b0618e857fdadb499365b5f2e478d1
  6. Affected versionversion=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <85a3e0ede38450ea3053b8c45d28cf55208409b8
  7. Affected versionversion=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <a1bf6a4e9264a685b0e642994031f9c5aad72414
  8. Affected versionversion=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <f569984417a4e12c67366e69bdcb752970de921d
  9. Affected versionversion=5.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <110a47efcf23438ff8d31dbd9c854fae2a48bf98; version=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <2790c4ec481be45a80948d059cd7c9a06bc37493; version=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <2a71924ca4af59ffc00f0444732b6cd54b153d0e; version=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <444ad445df5496a785705019268a8a84b84484bb; version=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <4b755305b2b0618e857fdadb499365b5f2e478d1; version=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <85a3e0ede38450ea3053b8c45d28cf55208409b8; version=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <a1bf6a4e9264a685b0e642994031f9c5aad72414; version=0c8d13ac96070000da33f394f45e9c19638483c5 <f569984417a4e12c67366e69bdcb752970de921d; version=5.0

Published CVSS scores

7.8kernel.orgCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.0NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation
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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