CVE-2025-38620

Kernel memory corruption via zloop teardown use-after-free

Published Aug 22, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux 6.16 allows local users to trigger invalid kernel memory access by removing a zoned loop device. zloop_ctl_remove calls put_disk, which reaches zloop_free_disk and frees the zlo object, then passes zlo->tag_set to blk_mq_free_tag_set. Reaching the flaw requires local low-privileged access and control of zloop-device removal; KASAN reports the resulting kernel bug.

CVSS severity7.8
High
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

Use-after-free in Linux 6.16 allows local users to trigger invalid kernel memory access by removing a zoned loop device. zloop_ctl_remove calls put_disk, which reaches zloop_free_disk and frees the zlo object, then passes zlo->tag_set to blk_mq_free_tag_set. Reaching the flaw requires local low-privileged access and control of zloop-device removal; KASAN reports the resulting kernel bug.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38620
Published
Aug 22, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-416
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 22, 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=6.16
  2. Affected versionversion=eb0570c7df23c2f32fe899fcdaf8fca9a5ecd51e <765761851d89c772f482494d452e266795460278
  3. Affected versionversion=eb0570c7df23c2f32fe899fcdaf8fca9a5ecd51e <c7c87046b41a9ef28ee7ac476c369da5b5228bc5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.16; version=eb0570c7df23c2f32fe899fcdaf8fca9a5ecd51e <765761851d89c772f482494d452e266795460278; version=eb0570c7df23c2f32fe899fcdaf8fca9a5ecd51e <c7c87046b41a9ef28ee7ac476c369da5b5228bc5

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS: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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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

CWE-416Use After Free

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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