CVE-2025-38290

Kernel compromise via ath12k list corruption

Published Jul 10, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Memory corruption in the ath12k Wi-Fi driver in Linux allows physically proximate attackers to compromise the kernel over Wi-Fi. During concurrent WLAN recovery and virtual-interface removal, ath12k_core_halt() resets only the arvifs list head, leaving member nodes linked through stale pointers that later list_del() operations read and overwrite. An unauthenticated attacker must be within radio range of an active ath12k interface; repeated malformed management and deauthentication frames can reach the race and crash the system.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory corruption in the ath12k Wi-Fi driver in Linux allows physically proximate attackers to compromise the kernel over Wi-Fi. During concurrent WLAN recovery and virtual-interface removal, ath12k_core_halt() resets only the arvifs list head, leaving member nodes linked through stale pointers that later list_del() operations read and overwrite. An unauthenticated attacker must be within radio range of an active ath12k interface; repeated malformed management and deauthentication frames can reach the race and crash the system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38290
Published
Jul 10, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-362, CWE-672, T1499.004
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 10, 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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

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=d889913205cf7ebda905b1e62c5867ed4e39f6c2 <6285516170f9e2f04b9dbf1e5100e0d7cbac22b4
  3. Affected versionversion=d889913205cf7ebda905b1e62c5867ed4e39f6c2 <6bfe7ae9bbd9734751b853e2d2e1c13e8b46fd2d
  4. Affected versionversion=d889913205cf7ebda905b1e62c5867ed4e39f6c2 <823435bd23108d6f8be89ea2d025c0e2e3769c51
  5. Affected versionversion=d889913205cf7ebda905b1e62c5867ed4e39f6c2 <be049199dec9189602bc06e2c70eda3aa0f2ea6e

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.3; version=d889913205cf7ebda905b1e62c5867ed4e39f6c2 <6285516170f9e2f04b9dbf1e5100e0d7cbac22b4; version=d889913205cf7ebda905b1e62c5867ed4e39f6c2 <6bfe7ae9bbd9734751b853e2d2e1c13e8b46fd2d; version=d889913205cf7ebda905b1e62c5867ed4e39f6c2 <823435bd23108d6f8be89ea2d025c0e2e3769c51; version=d889913205cf7ebda905b1e62c5867ed4e39f6c2 <be049199dec9189602bc06e2c70eda3aa0f2ea6e

Published CVSS scores

8.8Linux kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
CWE-672Operation on a Resource after Expiration or Release
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

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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