CVE-2025-38258

Kernel memory exhaustion via unreleased memcg_path buffers

Published Jul 9, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Memory leak in the Linux kernel allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through repeated writes to a DAMOS memcg_path sysfs file. The memcg_path_store() function replaces filter->memcg_path with a newly allocated buffer without freeing the buffer previously assigned there. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access to the DAMON sysfs interface and consumes memory until system availability is affected.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in the Linux kernel allows local users to exhaust kernel memory through repeated writes to a DAMOS memcg_path sysfs file. The memcg_path_store() function replaces filter->memcg_path with a newly allocated buffer without freeing the buffer previously assigned there. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access to the DAMON sysfs interface and consumes memory until system availability is affected.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38258
Published
Jul 9, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 9, 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=6.3
  2. Affected versionversion=7ee161f18b5da5170b5d6a51aace49d312099128 <490a43d07f1663d827e802720d30cbc0494e4f81
  3. Affected versionversion=7ee161f18b5da5170b5d6a51aace49d312099128 <4a158ac0538dd5695eeaa00aa0720d711f3e4ef1
  4. Affected versionversion=7ee161f18b5da5170b5d6a51aace49d312099128 <4f489fe6afb395dbc79840efa3c05440b760d883
  5. Affected versionversion=7ee161f18b5da5170b5d6a51aace49d312099128 <c5d5b0047b0c0f304608f3824139f7bd34c48413

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.3; version=7ee161f18b5da5170b5d6a51aace49d312099128 <490a43d07f1663d827e802720d30cbc0494e4f81; version=7ee161f18b5da5170b5d6a51aace49d312099128 <4a158ac0538dd5695eeaa00aa0720d711f3e4ef1; version=7ee161f18b5da5170b5d6a51aace49d312099128 <4f489fe6afb395dbc79840efa3c05440b760d883; version=7ee161f18b5da5170b5d6a51aace49d312099128 <c5d5b0047b0c0f304608f3824139f7bd34c48413

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.

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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

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499.001OS Exhaustion Flood

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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