CVE-2025-38196

Kernel allocation warning via unchecked clone bounds

Published Jul 4, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Allocation validation error in Linux kernel 6.13 through 6.15.3 allows local users to trigger an oversized kernel allocation warning. The io_clone_buffers path checks buffer_count alone before allocating its indexed table, without rejecting an offset plus count above IORING_MAX_REG_BUFFERS. Low-privileged local access to io_uring registration is required; the published finding establishes the warning and availability impact but no data access or modification.

CVSS severity5.5
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

Allocation validation error in Linux kernel 6.13 through 6.15.3 allows local users to trigger an oversized kernel allocation warning. The io_clone_buffers path checks buffer_count alone before allocating its indexed table, without rejecting an offset plus count above IORING_MAX_REG_BUFFERS. Low-privileged local access to io_uring registration is required; the published finding establishes the warning and availability impact but no data access or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38196
Published
Jul 4, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 4, 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=6.13
  2. Affected versionversion=b16e920a1909da6799c43000db730d8fcdcae907 <0e23ac818f3afb16660b0ba384875d56a7013879
  3. Affected versionversion=b16e920a1909da6799c43000db730d8fcdcae907 <1d27f11bf02b38c431e49a17dee5c10a2b4c2e28

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.13; version=b16e920a1909da6799c43000db730d8fcdcae907 <0e23ac818f3afb16660b0ba384875d56a7013879; version=b16e920a1909da6799c43000db730d8fcdcae907 <1d27f11bf02b38c431e49a17dee5c10a2b4c2e28

Published CVSS scores

5.5UbuntuCVSS: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.

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

No sourced classifications are available.

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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