CVE-2025-38478

Kernel disclosure via uninitialized Comedi instruction buffer

Published Jul 28, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Uninitialized memory use in Linux Comedi allows local users to read kernel data and corrupt device state through local ioctls. The do_insn_ioctl() and do_insnlist_ioctl() paths copy only insn->n elements into a 16-element buffer, leaving later elements uninitialized for handlers that read them. Access requires an open /dev/comediN device; crafted instructions can expose kernel slab data, alter driver or hardware state, or interrupt service.

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

What happened

Uninitialized memory use in Linux Comedi allows local users to read kernel data and corrupt device state through local ioctls. The do_insn_ioctl() and do_insnlist_ioctl() paths copy only insn->n elements into a 16-element buffer, leaving later elements uninitialized for handlers that read them. Access requires an open /dev/comediN device; crafted instructions can expose kernel slab data, alter driver or hardware state, or interrupt service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38478
Published
Jul 28, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-908
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

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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=2.6.29
  2. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <020eed5681d0f9bced73970368078a92d6cfaa9c
  3. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <13e4d9038a1e869445a996a3f604a84ef52fe8f4
  4. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <46d8c744136ce2454aa4c35c138cc06817f92b8e
  5. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <673ee92bd2d31055bca98a1d96b653f5284289c4
  6. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <6f38c6380c3b38a05032b8881e41137385a6ce02
  7. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <c42116dc70af6664526f7aa82cf937824ab42649
  8. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <d3436638738ace8f101af7bdee2eae1bc38e9b29
  9. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <fe8713fb4e4e82a4f91910d9a41bf0613e69a0b9

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.29; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <020eed5681d0f9bced73970368078a92d6cfaa9c; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <13e4d9038a1e869445a996a3f604a84ef52fe8f4; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <46d8c744136ce2454aa4c35c138cc06817f92b8e; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <673ee92bd2d31055bca98a1d96b653f5284289c4; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <6f38c6380c3b38a05032b8881e41137385a6ce02; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <c42116dc70af6664526f7aa82cf937824ab42649; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <d3436638738ace8f101af7bdee2eae1bc38e9b29; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <fe8713fb4e4e82a4f91910d9a41bf0613e69a0b9

Published CVSS scores

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.

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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-908Use of Uninitialized Resource

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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