CVE-2025-38475

Kernel compromise via SMC socket type confusion

Published Jul 28, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Type confusion in Linux kernel SMC sockets from 6.11 allows local users to crash the kernel or gain kernel-memory control. smc_sock reuses AF_INET and AF_INET6 without placing inet_sock first, so INET code treats clcsk_data_ready as inet_opt and frees or overwrites it. An unprivileged local socket sequence on a NetLabel or CIPSO-labeling system triggers the corruption, causing a repeatable panic and enabling kernel read, write, and control-flow primitives.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Type confusion in Linux kernel SMC sockets from 6.11 allows local users to crash the kernel or gain kernel-memory control. smc_sock reuses AF_INET and AF_INET6 without placing inet_sock first, so INET code treats clcsk_data_ready as inet_opt and frees or overwrites it. An unprivileged local socket sequence on a NetLabel or CIPSO-labeling system triggers the corruption, causing a repeatable panic and enabling kernel read, write, and control-flow primitives.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38475
Published
Jul 28, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1068, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 28, 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=6.11
  2. Affected versionversion=d25a92ccae6bed02327b63d138e12e7806830f78 <5b02e397929e5b13b969ef1f8e43c7951e2864f5
  3. Affected versionversion=d25a92ccae6bed02327b63d138e12e7806830f78 <60ada4fe644edaa6c2da97364184b0425e8aeaf5
  4. Affected versionversion=d25a92ccae6bed02327b63d138e12e7806830f78 <67a167a6b8b45607bc34aa541d1c75097d18d460

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.11; version=d25a92ccae6bed02327b63d138e12e7806830f78 <5b02e397929e5b13b969ef1f8e43c7951e2864f5; version=d25a92ccae6bed02327b63d138e12e7806830f78 <60ada4fe644edaa6c2da97364184b0425e8aeaf5; version=d25a92ccae6bed02327b63d138e12e7806830f78 <67a167a6b8b45607bc34aa541d1c75097d18d460

Published CVSS scores

7.0Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5CanonicalCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.8LinuxCVSS: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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation
T1499.004Application 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

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