CVE-2025-38480

Digital output corruption via uninitialized Comedi data

Published Jul 28, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Improper initialization in the Linux Comedi subsystem allows local users to write an unintended value to a digital output channel. The insn_rw_emulate_bits() handler reads data[0] for a zero-sample INSN_WRITE request, so it consumes uninitialized or stale instruction-array data instead of a user-supplied sample. Reachability requires a Comedi digital subdevice without an instruction-specific write handler, and the consequence is limited to an incorrect channel value and possibly its saved state.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
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

Improper initialization in the Linux Comedi subsystem allows local users to write an unintended value to a digital output channel. The insn_rw_emulate_bits() handler reads data[0] for a zero-sample INSN_WRITE request, so it consumes uninitialized or stale instruction-array data instead of a user-supplied sample. Reachability requires a Comedi digital subdevice without an instruction-specific write handler, and the consequence is limited to an incorrect channel value and possibly its saved state.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38480
Published
Jul 28, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T0831
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 28, 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=2.6.29
  2. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <10f9024a8c824a41827fff1fefefb314c98e2c88
  3. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <16256d7efcf7acc9f39abe21522c4c6b77f67c00
  4. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <2af1e7d389c2619219171d23f5b96dbcbb7f9656
  5. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <3050d197d6bc9ef128944a70210f42d2430b3000
  6. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <3ab55ffaaf75d0c7b68e332c1cdcc1b0e0044870
  7. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <4c2981bf30401adfcdbfece4ab6f411f7c5875a1
  8. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <c53570e62b5b28bdb56bb563190227f8307817a5
  9. Affected versionversion=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <e9cb26291d009243a4478a7ffb37b3a9175bfce9

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.29; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <10f9024a8c824a41827fff1fefefb314c98e2c88; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <16256d7efcf7acc9f39abe21522c4c6b77f67c00; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <2af1e7d389c2619219171d23f5b96dbcbb7f9656; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <3050d197d6bc9ef128944a70210f42d2430b3000; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <3ab55ffaaf75d0c7b68e332c1cdcc1b0e0044870; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <4c2981bf30401adfcdbfece4ab6f411f7c5875a1; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <c53570e62b5b28bdb56bb563190227f8307817a5; version=ed9eccbe8970f6eedc1b978c157caf1251a896d4 <e9cb26291d009243a4478a7ffb37b3a9175bfce9

Published CVSS scores

5.5Oracle LinuxCVSS: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

T0831Manipulation of Control

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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