CVE-2025-38403

Kernel-memory disclosure via uncleared VMCI packet

Published Jul 25, 2025 · Updated Jun 11, 2026

Uninitialized data exposure in Linux 3.9 and later allows local users to read kernel memory or interrupt service through VMCI vsock. vmci_transport_packet_init populates vmci_transport_packet without first clearing it, leaving unassigned fields with stale data. Low-privileged local access and use of the VMCI socket transport are required; no remote network path is reported.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uninitialized data exposure in Linux 3.9 and later allows local users to read kernel memory or interrupt service through VMCI vsock. vmci_transport_packet_init populates vmci_transport_packet without first clearing it, leaving unassigned fields with stale data. Low-privileged local access and use of the VMCI socket transport are required; no remote network path is reported.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38403
Published
Jul 25, 2025
Updated
Jun 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 25, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=3.9
  2. Affected versionversion=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <0a01021317375b8d1895152f544421ce49299eb1
  3. Affected versionversion=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <19c2cc01ff9a8031398a802676ffb0f4692dd95d
  4. Affected versionversion=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <1c1bcb0e78230f533b4103e8cf271d17c3f469f0
  5. Affected versionversion=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <223e2288f4b8c262a864e2c03964ffac91744cd5
  6. Affected versionversion=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <2d44723a091bc853272e1a51a488a3d22b80be5e
  7. Affected versionversion=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <75705b44e0b9aaa74f4c163d93d388bcba9e386a
  8. Affected versionversion=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <94d0c326cb3ee6b0f8bd00e209550b93fcc5c839
  9. Affected versionversion=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <e9a673153d578fd439919a24e99851b2f87ecbce

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.9; version=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <0a01021317375b8d1895152f544421ce49299eb1; version=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <19c2cc01ff9a8031398a802676ffb0f4692dd95d; version=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <1c1bcb0e78230f533b4103e8cf271d17c3f469f0; version=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <223e2288f4b8c262a864e2c03964ffac91744cd5; version=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <2d44723a091bc853272e1a51a488a3d22b80be5e; version=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <75705b44e0b9aaa74f4c163d93d388bcba9e386a; version=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <94d0c326cb3ee6b0f8bd00e209550b93fcc5c839; version=d021c344051af91f42c5ba9fdedc176740cbd238 <e9a673153d578fd439919a24e99851b2f87ecbce

Published CVSS scores

6.1SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H
7.0Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.1OracleCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
6.9SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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

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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