CVE-2025-38643

Kernel warning via unlocked DFS state propagation

Published Aug 22, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Improper locking in Linux cfg80211 allows local users to trigger a kernel warning during DFS channel-state propagation. The cfg80211_propagate_cac_done_wk worker calls wdev_chandef without holding the required wiphy mutex while propagating CAC completion state. Reaching the path requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in the initial network namespace and a physical DFS-capable wireless device, so the bounded observed consequence is a kernel warning.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
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

Improper locking in Linux cfg80211 allows local users to trigger a kernel warning during DFS channel-state propagation. The cfg80211_propagate_cac_done_wk worker calls wdev_chandef without holding the required wiphy mutex while propagating CAC completion state. Reaching the path requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in the initial network namespace and a physical DFS-capable wireless device, so the bounded observed consequence is a kernel warning.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38643
Published
Aug 22, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-667
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 22, 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=26ec17a1dc5ecdd8d91aba63ead6f8b5ad5dea0d <2c5dee15239f3f3e31aa5c8808f18996c039e2c1
  2. Affected versionversion=26ec17a1dc5ecdd8d91aba63ead6f8b5ad5dea0d <4a63523d3541eef4cf504a9682e6fbe94ffe79a6
  3. Affected versionversion=26ec17a1dc5ecdd8d91aba63ead6f8b5ad5dea0d <7022df2248c08c6f75a01714163ac902333bf3db
  4. Affected versionversion=26ec17a1dc5ecdd8d91aba63ead6f8b5ad5dea0d <b3d24038eb775f2f7a1dfef58d8e1dc444a12820
  5. Affected versionversion=26ec17a1dc5ecdd8d91aba63ead6f8b5ad5dea0d <dbce810607726408f889d3358f4780fd1436861e
  6. Affected versionversion=26ec17a1dc5ecdd8d91aba63ead6f8b5ad5dea0d <defe9ce121160788547e8e6ec4438ad8a14f40dd
  7. Affected versionversion=2dbb6faebb94d6d5ae87e5ea6be9280c366393e1
  8. Affected versionversion=4.14.170 <4.15
  9. Affected versionversion=4.19.102 <4.20
  10. Affected versionversion=5.4.18 <5.5
  11. Affected versionversion=5.5
  12. Affected versionversion=a4f85674e4693904ade7cbf6722d0d105d8062d8
  13. Affected versionversion=e233cbaf8ecc5859f0417dd53899da4edb477991

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=26ec17a1dc5ecdd8d91aba63ead6f8b5ad5dea0d <2c5dee15239f3f3e31aa5c8808f18996c039e2c1; version=26ec17a1dc5ecdd8d91aba63ead6f8b5ad5dea0d <4a63523d3541eef4cf504a9682e6fbe94ffe79a6; version=26ec17a1dc5ecdd8d91aba63ead6f8b5ad5dea0d <7022df2248c08c6f75a01714163ac902333bf3db; version=26ec17a1dc5ecdd8d91aba63ead6f8b5ad5dea0d <b3d24038eb775f2f7a1dfef58d8e1dc444a12820; version=26ec17a1dc5ecdd8d91aba63ead6f8b5ad5dea0d <dbce810607726408f889d3358f4780fd1436861e; version=26ec17a1dc5ecdd8d91aba63ead6f8b5ad5dea0d <defe9ce121160788547e8e6ec4438ad8a14f40dd; version=2dbb6faebb94d6d5ae87e5ea6be9280c366393e1; version=4.14.170 <4.15; version=4.19.102 <4.20; version=5.4.18 <5.5; version=5.5; version=a4f85674e4693904ade7cbf6722d0d105d8062d8; version=e233cbaf8ecc5859f0417dd53899da4edb477991

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.1Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-667Improper Locking

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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