CVE-2025-38542

Local kernel compromise via device refcount wraparound

Published Aug 16, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Refcount leakage in Appletalk routing in affected Linux kernels allows local users to gain kernel read, write, and code execution. Each repeated SIOCADDRT call makes atrtr_create() hold the new device without releasing the old reference, eventually wrapping the counter and freeing a live net_device. An ordinary local account can reach the unchecked 32-bit compatibility path; exploitation can compromise the kernel, hang network cleanup, or cause a panic.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Refcount leakage in Appletalk routing in affected Linux kernels allows local users to gain kernel read, write, and code execution. Each repeated SIOCADDRT call makes atrtr_create() hold the new device without releasing the old reference, eventually wrapping the counter and freeing a live net_device. An ordinary local account can reach the unchecked 32-bit compatibility path; exploitation can compromise the kernel, hang network cleanup, or cause a panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38542
Published
Aug 16, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

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

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=2.6.12
  2. Affected versionversion=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <473f3eadfc73b0fb6d8dee5829d19a5772e387f7
  3. Affected versionversion=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <4a17370da6e476d3d275534e9e9cd2d02c57ca46
  4. Affected versionversion=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <64124cf0aab0dd1e18c0fb5ae66e45741e727f8b
  5. Affected versionversion=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <711c80f7d8b163d3ecd463cd96f07230f488e750
  6. Affected versionversion=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <a7852b01793669248dce0348d14df89e77a32afd
  7. Affected versionversion=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <b2f5dfa87367fdce9f8b995bc6c38f64f9ea2c90
  8. Affected versionversion=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <b92bedf71f25303e203a4e657489d76691a58119
  9. Affected versionversion=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <d2e9f50f0bdad73b64a871f25186b899624518c4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.12; version=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <473f3eadfc73b0fb6d8dee5829d19a5772e387f7; version=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <4a17370da6e476d3d275534e9e9cd2d02c57ca46; version=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <64124cf0aab0dd1e18c0fb5ae66e45741e727f8b; version=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <711c80f7d8b163d3ecd463cd96f07230f488e750; version=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <a7852b01793669248dce0348d14df89e77a32afd; version=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <b2f5dfa87367fdce9f8b995bc6c38f64f9ea2c90; version=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <b92bedf71f25303e203a4e657489d76691a58119; version=c7f905f0f6d49ed8c1aa4566c31f0383a0ba0c9d <d2e9f50f0bdad73b64a871f25186b899624518c4

Published CVSS scores

5.5OracleCVSS: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
5.5NVDCVSS: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

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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