CVE-2025-38404

Kernel hang via recursive alternate-mode mutex locking

Published Jul 25, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Deadlock in the USB Type-C DisplayPort alternate-mode driver in Linux 6.1.143, 6.6.96, 6.12.36, and 6.15.5 allows local users to hang the kernel. The cros_typec_altmode_work path holds cros_typec_altmode_data::mutex while a nested exit path calls cros_typec_altmode_exit, which tries to lock the same mutex again. Triggering the affected alternate-mode exit path requires local low-privileged access and compatible ChromeOS Type-C DisplayPort hardware; the bounded consequence is a kernel hang.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Deadlock in the USB Type-C DisplayPort alternate-mode driver in Linux 6.1.143, 6.6.96, 6.12.36, and 6.15.5 allows local users to hang the kernel. The cros_typec_altmode_work path holds cros_typec_altmode_data::mutex while a nested exit path calls cros_typec_altmode_exit, which tries to lock the same mutex again. Triggering the affected alternate-mode exit path requires local low-privileged access and compatible ChromeOS Type-C DisplayPort hardware; the bounded consequence is a kernel hang.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38404
Published
Jul 25, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-667, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 25, 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=10cc2cfd3e5d0e0ec7590c4bee8bcea10e5492c4 <c782f98eef14197affa8a7b91e6981420f109ea9
  2. Affected versionversion=56846793f105cf2b39ecbde4f3ae86342091f6fc <7be0d1ea71f52595499da39cea484a895e8ed042
  3. Affected versionversion=6.1.143 <6.1.144
  4. Affected versionversion=6.12.36 <6.12.37
  5. Affected versionversion=6.15.5 <6.15.6
  6. Affected versionversion=6.6.96 <6.6.97
  7. Affected versionversion=8851e40587013db00b71d4aeaae30f5fd59b0eec <63cff9f57e86b2dc25d7487ca0118df89a665296
  8. Affected versionversion=8e8a69b1f8c59f0505f8a1c0fb77191f27b75011 <76cf1f33e7319fe74c94ac92f9814094ee8cc84b
  9. Affected versionversion=8f6a4fa7b663468bb304cb885b93326e025ae005 <80c25d7916a44715338d4f8924c8e52af50d0b9f
  10. Affected versionversion=b4b38ffb38c91afd4dc387608db26f6fc34ed40b <099cf1fbb8afc3771f408109f62bdec66f85160e
  11. Affected versionversion=e0359c66c1beccbe90119a63391678eabda38007 <749d9076735fb497aae60fbea9fff563f9ea3254
  12. Affected versionversion=e3fb6c2c3939b4aad203cacdd613a62ce1fd032c <eb08fca56f1f39e4038cb9bac9864464b13b00aa

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=10cc2cfd3e5d0e0ec7590c4bee8bcea10e5492c4 <c782f98eef14197affa8a7b91e6981420f109ea9; version=56846793f105cf2b39ecbde4f3ae86342091f6fc <7be0d1ea71f52595499da39cea484a895e8ed042; version=6.1.143 <6.1.144; version=6.12.36 <6.12.37; version=6.15.5 <6.15.6; version=6.6.96 <6.6.97; version=8851e40587013db00b71d4aeaae30f5fd59b0eec <63cff9f57e86b2dc25d7487ca0118df89a665296; version=8e8a69b1f8c59f0505f8a1c0fb77191f27b75011 <76cf1f33e7319fe74c94ac92f9814094ee8cc84b; version=8f6a4fa7b663468bb304cb885b93326e025ae005 <80c25d7916a44715338d4f8924c8e52af50d0b9f; version=b4b38ffb38c91afd4dc387608db26f6fc34ed40b <099cf1fbb8afc3771f408109f62bdec66f85160e; version=e0359c66c1beccbe90119a63391678eabda38007 <749d9076735fb497aae60fbea9fff563f9ea3254; version=e3fb6c2c3939b4aad203cacdd613a62ce1fd032c <eb08fca56f1f39e4038cb9bac9864464b13b00aa

Published CVSS scores

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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-667Improper Locking
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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