CVE-2025-38112

Kernel crash via racy readable-function pointer

Published Jul 3, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

TOCTOU race in the sk_is_readable() networking helper in Linux allows local users to crash the kernel through a socket stored in a sockmap. The helper checks sk->sk_prot->sock_is_readable and then reloads sk->sk_prot, allowing the last sk_psock_put() to restore the protocol and clear the pointer between the check and call. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and a socket in a sockmap; the reported consequence is a null-pointer dereference and kernel crash.

CVSS severity4.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

TOCTOU race in the sk_is_readable() networking helper in Linux allows local users to crash the kernel through a socket stored in a sockmap. The helper checks sk->sk_prot->sock_is_readable and then reloads sk->sk_prot, allowing the last sk_psock_put() to restore the protocol and clear the pointer between the check and call. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and a socket in a sockmap; the reported consequence is a null-pointer dereference and kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38112
Published
Jul 3, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
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=4.17
  2. Affected versionversion=8934ce2fd08171e8605f7fada91ee7619fe17ab8 <1b367ba2f94251822577daed031d6b9a9e11ba91
  3. Affected versionversion=8934ce2fd08171e8605f7fada91ee7619fe17ab8 <1e0de7582ceccbdbb227d4e0ddf65732f92526da
  4. Affected versionversion=8934ce2fd08171e8605f7fada91ee7619fe17ab8 <2660a544fdc0940bba15f70508a46cf9a6491230
  5. Affected versionversion=8934ce2fd08171e8605f7fada91ee7619fe17ab8 <6fa68d7eab34d448a61aa24ea31e68b3231ed20d
  6. Affected versionversion=8934ce2fd08171e8605f7fada91ee7619fe17ab8 <8926a7ef1977a832dd6bf702f1a99303dbf15b15
  7. Affected versionversion=8934ce2fd08171e8605f7fada91ee7619fe17ab8 <c2b26638476baee154920bb587fc94ff1bf04336
  8. Affected versionversion=8934ce2fd08171e8605f7fada91ee7619fe17ab8 <ff55c85a923e043d59d26b20a673a1b4a219c310

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.17; version=8934ce2fd08171e8605f7fada91ee7619fe17ab8 <1b367ba2f94251822577daed031d6b9a9e11ba91; version=8934ce2fd08171e8605f7fada91ee7619fe17ab8 <1e0de7582ceccbdbb227d4e0ddf65732f92526da; version=8934ce2fd08171e8605f7fada91ee7619fe17ab8 <2660a544fdc0940bba15f70508a46cf9a6491230; version=8934ce2fd08171e8605f7fada91ee7619fe17ab8 <6fa68d7eab34d448a61aa24ea31e68b3231ed20d; version=8934ce2fd08171e8605f7fada91ee7619fe17ab8 <8926a7ef1977a832dd6bf702f1a99303dbf15b15; version=8934ce2fd08171e8605f7fada91ee7619fe17ab8 <c2b26638476baee154920bb587fc94ff1bf04336; version=8934ce2fd08171e8605f7fada91ee7619fe17ab8 <ff55c85a923e043d59d26b20a673a1b4a219c310

Published CVSS scores

4.7NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.0Amazon LinuxCVSS: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.

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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

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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