CVE-2025-38209

Crash via stale NVMe admin tag set

Published Jul 4, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use-after-free in the nvme-tcp host driver in Linux 6.15 through 6.15.3 allows local users to crash the kernel during controller setup. A failed second nvme_tcp_configure_admin_queue call leaves the admin tag set registered after nvme_tcp_ctrl is freed, so a later timeout handler dereferences freed memory. Triggering the fault requires local low-privileged access, repeated NVMe/TCP controller setup, and failure of the second administrative-queue allocation.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.31%
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 nvme-tcp host driver in Linux 6.15 through 6.15.3 allows local users to crash the kernel during controller setup. A failed second nvme_tcp_configure_admin_queue call leaves the admin tag set registered after nvme_tcp_ctrl is freed, so a later timeout handler dereferences freed memory. Triggering the fault requires local low-privileged access, repeated NVMe/TCP controller setup, and failure of the second administrative-queue allocation.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38209
Published
Jul 4, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 4, 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=104d0e2f622233477ef7e57e59e8a4c3bb062c82 <db1da838b6012e4570c6f81e28ffe1d0ff595948
  2. Affected versionversion=104d0e2f622233477ef7e57e59e8a4c3bb062c82 <e7143706702a209c814ed2c3fc6486c2a7decf6c
  3. Affected versionversion=6.15

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=104d0e2f622233477ef7e57e59e8a4c3bb062c82 <db1da838b6012e4570c6f81e28ffe1d0ff595948; version=104d0e2f622233477ef7e57e59e8a4c3bb062c82 <e7143706702a209c814ed2c3fc6486c2a7decf6c; version=6.15

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8Linux Kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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 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-416Use After Free
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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