CVE-2025-38555

Kernel memory corruption via dangling USB request

Published Aug 19, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux USB gadget subsystem allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through a crafted configfs gadget bind. When composite_os_desc_req_prepare() fails to allocate memory, it frees cdev->os_desc_req without clearing the pointer, and composite_dev_cleanup() later dereferences and frees the stale request. Initial-namespace CAP_SYS_ADMIN or delegated gadget-configfs write access is required; exploitation can disclose or overwrite kernel memory or panic the system.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Linux USB gadget subsystem allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through a crafted configfs gadget bind. When composite_os_desc_req_prepare() fails to allocate memory, it frees cdev->os_desc_req without clearing the pointer, and composite_dev_cleanup() later dereferences and frees the stale request. Initial-namespace CAP_SYS_ADMIN or delegated gadget-configfs write access is required; exploitation can disclose or overwrite kernel memory or panic the system.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38555
Published
Aug 19, 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 19, 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=3.16
  2. Affected versionversion=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <151c0aa896c47a4459e07fee7d4843f44c1bb18e
  3. Affected versionversion=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <2db29235e900a084a656dea7e0939b0abb7bb897
  4. Affected versionversion=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <5f06ee9f9a3665d43133f125c17e5258a13f3963
  5. Affected versionversion=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <8afb22aa063f706f3343707cdfb8cda4d021dd33
  6. Affected versionversion=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <aada327a9f8028c573636fa60c0abc80fb8135c9
  7. Affected versionversion=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <bd3c4ef60baf7f65c963f3e12d9d7b2b091e20ba
  8. Affected versionversion=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <dba96dfa5a0f685b959dd28a52ac8dab0b805204
  9. Affected versionversion=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <e1be1f380c82a69f80c68c96a7cfe8759fb30355
  10. Affected versionversion=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <e624bf26127645a2f7821e73fdf6dc64bad07835

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.16; version=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <151c0aa896c47a4459e07fee7d4843f44c1bb18e; version=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <2db29235e900a084a656dea7e0939b0abb7bb897; version=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <5f06ee9f9a3665d43133f125c17e5258a13f3963; version=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <8afb22aa063f706f3343707cdfb8cda4d021dd33; version=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <aada327a9f8028c573636fa60c0abc80fb8135c9; version=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <bd3c4ef60baf7f65c963f3e12d9d7b2b091e20ba; version=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <dba96dfa5a0f685b959dd28a52ac8dab0b805204; version=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <e1be1f380c82a69f80c68c96a7cfe8759fb30355; version=37a3a533429ef9b3cc9f15a656c19623f0e88df7 <e624bf26127645a2f7821e73fdf6dc64bad07835

Published CVSS scores

7.8LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8UbuntuCVSS: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

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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