CVE-2025-38526Network attack vector

Remote host crash via unchecked LAG pointer

Published Aug 16, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

NULL-pointer dereference in the Linux kernel ICE driver allows remote attackers to crash affected hosts through routine network traffic. ice_lag_is_switchdev_running() dereferences lag->upper_netdev without checking whether calls outside the LAG event handler left it NULL. An ICE SR-IOV LAG-capable physical function that is not bonded is required; the resulting kernel oops or panic interrupts networking and typically the host.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.36%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL-pointer dereference in the Linux kernel ICE driver allows remote attackers to crash affected hosts through routine network traffic. ice_lag_is_switchdev_running() dereferences lag->upper_netdev without checking whether calls outside the LAG event handler left it NULL. An ICE SR-IOV LAG-capable physical function that is not bonded is required; the resulting kernel oops or panic interrupts networking and typically the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38526
Published
Aug 16, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 16, 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=6.6
  2. Affected versionversion=776fe19953b0e0af00399e50fb3b205101d4b3c1 <245917d3c5ed7c6ae720302b64eac5c6f0c85177
  3. Affected versionversion=776fe19953b0e0af00399e50fb3b205101d4b3c1 <27591d926191e42b2332e4bad3bcd3a49def393b
  4. Affected versionversion=776fe19953b0e0af00399e50fb3b205101d4b3c1 <3ce58b01ada408b372f15b7c992ed0519840e3cf
  5. Affected versionversion=776fe19953b0e0af00399e50fb3b205101d4b3c1 <5a5d64f0eec82076b2c09fee2195d640cfbe3379

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.6; version=776fe19953b0e0af00399e50fb3b205101d4b3c1 <245917d3c5ed7c6ae720302b64eac5c6f0c85177; version=776fe19953b0e0af00399e50fb3b205101d4b3c1 <27591d926191e42b2332e4bad3bcd3a49def393b; version=776fe19953b0e0af00399e50fb3b205101d4b3c1 <3ce58b01ada408b372f15b7c992ed0519840e3cf; version=776fe19953b0e0af00399e50fb3b205101d4b3c1 <5a5d64f0eec82076b2c09fee2195d640cfbe3379

Published CVSS scores

7.5Linux kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

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

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Your stack

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