Kernel memory corruption via stale probe timer
Published Jul 25, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026
Use-after-free in Linux 6.15 through 6.15.5 and 6.16-rc1 through 6.16-rc4 allows local users to corrupt kernel memory. The appletb_kbd_probe function arms inactivity_timer but does not disarm it when a later probe step fails, so the callback writes through a freed appletb_kbd structure after 60 seconds. The path requires discovery of an appletb_backlight device followed by probe failure; the documented consequence is a delayed write to freed kernel memory.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Linux 6.15 through 6.15.5 and 6.16-rc1 through 6.16-rc4 allows local users to corrupt kernel memory. The appletb_kbd_probe function arms inactivity_timer but does not disarm it when a later probe step fails, so the callback writes through a freed appletb_kbd structure after 60 seconds. The path requires discovery of an appletb_backlight device followed by probe failure; the documented consequence is a delayed write to freed kernel memory.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-38378
- Published
- Jul 25, 2025
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 25, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 11, 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.
- Affected versionversion=6.15
- Affected versionversion=93a0fc48948107e0cc34e1de22c3cb363a8f2783 <38224c472a038fa9ccd4085511dd9f3d6119dbf9
- Affected versionversion=93a0fc48948107e0cc34e1de22c3cb363a8f2783 <51720dee3a61ebace36c3dcdd0b4a488e0970f29
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
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
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo