CVE-2025-38129

Local kernel code execution via page-pool race

Published Jul 3, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel page-pool recycler allows local users to corrupt kernel memory and crash the host. page_pool_release can free a page_pool while page_pool_recycle_in_ring still holds its producer lock, after which recycling unlocks and updates statistics through the freed object. Triggering requires local creation and teardown of a page-pool-backed network device while queued socket buffers are purged; an unprivileged user can obtain the needed CAP_NET_ADMIN inside a user network namespace, enabling kernel-memory disclosure, writes, control-flow hijack, or panic.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.17%
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 page-pool recycler allows local users to corrupt kernel memory and crash the host. page_pool_release can free a page_pool while page_pool_recycle_in_ring still holds its producer lock, after which recycling unlocks and updates statistics through the freed object. Triggering requires local creation and teardown of a page-pool-backed network device while queued socket buffers are purged; an unprivileged user can obtain the needed CAP_NET_ADMIN inside a user network namespace, enabling kernel-memory disclosure, writes, control-flow hijack, or panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38129
Published
Jul 3, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
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=4.18
  2. Affected versionversion=ff7d6b27f894f1469dc51ccb828b7363ccd9799f <1a8c0b61d4cb55c5440583ec9e7f86a730369e32
  3. Affected versionversion=ff7d6b27f894f1469dc51ccb828b7363ccd9799f <271683bb2cf32e5126c592b5d5e6a756fa374fd9
  4. Affected versionversion=ff7d6b27f894f1469dc51ccb828b7363ccd9799f <4914c0a166540e534a0c1d43affd329d95fb56fd
  5. Affected versionversion=ff7d6b27f894f1469dc51ccb828b7363ccd9799f <4ab8c0f8905c9c4d05e7f437e65a9a365573ff02
  6. Affected versionversion=ff7d6b27f894f1469dc51ccb828b7363ccd9799f <c2c906142293931e33ef4be79ebc36c25c4e21dd
  7. Affected versionversion=ff7d6b27f894f1469dc51ccb828b7363ccd9799f <d69f28ef7cdafdcf37ee310f38b1399e7d05f9a8
  8. Affected versionversion=ff7d6b27f894f1469dc51ccb828b7363ccd9799f <e869a85acc2e60dc554579b910826a4919d8cd98

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.18; version=ff7d6b27f894f1469dc51ccb828b7363ccd9799f <1a8c0b61d4cb55c5440583ec9e7f86a730369e32; version=ff7d6b27f894f1469dc51ccb828b7363ccd9799f <271683bb2cf32e5126c592b5d5e6a756fa374fd9; version=ff7d6b27f894f1469dc51ccb828b7363ccd9799f <4914c0a166540e534a0c1d43affd329d95fb56fd; version=ff7d6b27f894f1469dc51ccb828b7363ccd9799f <4ab8c0f8905c9c4d05e7f437e65a9a365573ff02; version=ff7d6b27f894f1469dc51ccb828b7363ccd9799f <c2c906142293931e33ef4be79ebc36c25c4e21dd; version=ff7d6b27f894f1469dc51ccb828b7363ccd9799f <d69f28ef7cdafdcf37ee310f38b1399e7d05f9a8; version=ff7d6b27f894f1469dc51ccb828b7363ccd9799f <e869a85acc2e60dc554579b910826a4919d8cd98

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.3UbuntuCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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

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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