CVE-2025-38117

Kernel compromise via unlocked Bluetooth pending list

Published Jul 3, 2025 · Updated Aug 23, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel Bluetooth MGMT interface allows local users with CAP_NET_ADMIN to crash or compromise the kernel. Concurrent MGMT commands traverse and modify the mgmt_pending list without a dedicated lock, allowing one thread to dereference a socket freed by another. The reachable control commands require CAP_NET_ADMIN in the initial user namespace; successful races can panic the system or corrupt kernel memory.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.16%
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 Bluetooth MGMT interface allows local users with CAP_NET_ADMIN to crash or compromise the kernel. Concurrent MGMT commands traverse and modify the mgmt_pending list without a dedicated lock, allowing one thread to dereference a socket freed by another. The reachable control commands require CAP_NET_ADMIN in the initial user namespace; successful races can panic the system or corrupt kernel memory.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38117
Published
Jul 3, 2025
Updated
Aug 23, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 3, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 23, 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=4.1
  2. Affected versionversion=a380b6cff1a2d2139772e88219d08330f84d0381 <4e83f2dbb2bf677e614109df24426c4dded472d4
  3. Affected versionversion=a380b6cff1a2d2139772e88219d08330f84d0381 <6fe26f694c824b8a4dbf50c635bee1302e3f099c
  4. Affected versionversion=a380b6cff1a2d2139772e88219d08330f84d0381 <7b5958332f20dc66b19be564c402dbc21b927a81
  5. Affected versionversion=a380b6cff1a2d2139772e88219d08330f84d0381 <bdd56875c6926d8009914f427df71797693e90d4
  6. Affected versionversion=a380b6cff1a2d2139772e88219d08330f84d0381 <d7882db79135c829a922daf3571f33ea1e056ae3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.1; version=a380b6cff1a2d2139772e88219d08330f84d0381 <4e83f2dbb2bf677e614109df24426c4dded472d4; version=a380b6cff1a2d2139772e88219d08330f84d0381 <6fe26f694c824b8a4dbf50c635bee1302e3f099c; version=a380b6cff1a2d2139772e88219d08330f84d0381 <7b5958332f20dc66b19be564c402dbc21b927a81; version=a380b6cff1a2d2139772e88219d08330f84d0381 <bdd56875c6926d8009914f427df71797693e90d4; version=a380b6cff1a2d2139772e88219d08330f84d0381 <d7882db79135c829a922daf3571f33ea1e056ae3

Published CVSS scores

7.8UbuntuCVSS: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.

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
PrivilegesUnavailable
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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