CVE-2025-38428

Kernel memory corruption via oversized firmware record

Published Jul 25, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Out-of-bounds write in the Linux kernel IMS PCU driver allows local users to corrupt kernel memory via a malformed firmware record. ims_pcu_flash_firmware() uses the firmware-controlled len field as a memcpy length without validating it against the record size. Root access is required to write update_firmware and place the firmware file; the documented consequence is kernel memory corruption.

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

Out-of-bounds write in the Linux kernel IMS PCU driver allows local users to corrupt kernel memory via a malformed firmware record. ims_pcu_flash_firmware() uses the firmware-controlled len field as a memcpy length without validating it against the record size. Root access is required to write update_firmware and place the firmware file; the documented consequence is kernel memory corruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38428
Published
Jul 25, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-787
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

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

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=3.10
  2. Affected versionversion=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <17474a56acf708bf6b2d174c06ed26abad0a9fd6
  3. Affected versionversion=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <5a8cd6ae8393e2eaebf51d420d5374821ef2af87
  4. Affected versionversion=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <74661516daee1eadebede8dc607b6830530096ec
  5. Affected versionversion=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <8e03f1c7d50343bf21da54873301bc4fa647479f
  6. Affected versionversion=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <a95ef0199e80f3384eb992889322957d26c00102
  7. Affected versionversion=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <c1b9d140b0807c6aee4bb53e1bfa4e391e3dc204
  8. Affected versionversion=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <d63706d9f73846106fde28b284f08e01b92ce9f1
  9. Affected versionversion=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <e5a2481dc2a0b430f49276d7482793a8923631d6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.10; version=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <17474a56acf708bf6b2d174c06ed26abad0a9fd6; version=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <5a8cd6ae8393e2eaebf51d420d5374821ef2af87; version=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <74661516daee1eadebede8dc607b6830530096ec; version=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <8e03f1c7d50343bf21da54873301bc4fa647479f; version=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <a95ef0199e80f3384eb992889322957d26c00102; version=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <c1b9d140b0807c6aee4bb53e1bfa4e391e3dc204; version=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <d63706d9f73846106fde28b284f08e01b92ce9f1; version=628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 <e5a2481dc2a0b430f49276d7482793a8923631d6

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS: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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write

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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