Kernel compromise via out-of-bounds debugfs terminator
Published Jul 28, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Out-of-bounds write in the Linux IIO backend allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through a crafted debugfs write. In iio_backend_debugfs_write_reg(), simple_write_to_buffer() truncates an input of at least 80 bytes, but buf[count] then writes a NUL beyond the 80-byte stack buffer. The direct_reg_access node must exist and be writable; the resulting stack corruption enables kernel memory disclosure, privilege escalation, or a panic.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds write in the Linux IIO backend allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through a crafted debugfs write. In iio_backend_debugfs_write_reg(), simple_write_to_buffer() truncates an input of at least 80 bytes, but buf[count] then writes a NUL beyond the 80-byte stack buffer. The direct_reg_access node must exist and be writable; the resulting stack corruption enables kernel memory disclosure, privilege escalation, or a panic.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-38484
- Published
- Jul 28, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-787, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 28, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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?
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- Affected versionversion=035b4989211dc1c8626e186d655ae8ca5141bb73 <01e941aa7f5175125df4ac5d3aab099961525602
- Affected versionversion=035b4989211dc1c8626e186d655ae8ca5141bb73 <da9374819eb3885636934c1006d450c3cb1a02ed
- Affected versionversion=04271a4d2740f98bbe36f82cd3d74677a839d1eb
- Affected versionversion=6.12.23 <6.12.40
- Affected versionversion=6.13.11 <6.14
- Affected versionversion=6.14.2 <6.15
- Affected versionversion=6.15
- Affected versionversion=df3892e5e861c43d5612728ed259634675b8a71f <6eea9f7648ddb9e4903735a1f77cf196c957aa38
- Affected versionversion=fd791c81f410ab1c554686a6f486dc7a176dfe35
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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