CVE-2025-38644

Kernel panic via premature TDLS link enablement

Published Aug 22, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Improper state validation in Linux mac80211 allows local users to trigger a kernel warning and a configured system panic through TDLS. ieee80211_tdls_oper accepts NL80211_TDLS_ENABLE_LINK before association or TDLS setup, leaving sdata->u.mgd.tdls_peer uninitialized for a WARN_ON path. The request requires local low-privilege access during a pending connection; panic_on_warn must be enabled for the warning to panic the kernel.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
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

Improper state validation in Linux mac80211 allows local users to trigger a kernel warning and a configured system panic through TDLS. ieee80211_tdls_oper accepts NL80211_TDLS_ENABLE_LINK before association or TDLS setup, leaving sdata->u.mgd.tdls_peer uninitialized for a WARN_ON path. The request requires local low-privilege access during a pending connection; panic_on_warn must be enabled for the warning to panic the kernel.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38644
Published
Aug 22, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-908, T1499.004
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=3.17
  2. Affected versionversion=81dd2b8822410e56048b927be779d95a2b6dc186 <0c84204cf0bbe89e454a5caccc6a908bc7db1542
  3. Affected versionversion=81dd2b8822410e56048b927be779d95a2b6dc186 <16ecdab5446f15a61ec88eb0d23d25d009821db0
  4. Affected versionversion=81dd2b8822410e56048b927be779d95a2b6dc186 <31af06b574394530f68a4310c45ecbe2f68853c4
  5. Affected versionversion=81dd2b8822410e56048b927be779d95a2b6dc186 <378ae9ccaea3f445838a087962a067b5cb2e8577
  6. Affected versionversion=81dd2b8822410e56048b927be779d95a2b6dc186 <4df663d4c1ca386dcab2f743dfc9f0cc07aef73c
  7. Affected versionversion=81dd2b8822410e56048b927be779d95a2b6dc186 <af72badd5ee423eb16f6ad7fe0a62f1b4252d848

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=3.17; version=81dd2b8822410e56048b927be779d95a2b6dc186 <0c84204cf0bbe89e454a5caccc6a908bc7db1542; version=81dd2b8822410e56048b927be779d95a2b6dc186 <16ecdab5446f15a61ec88eb0d23d25d009821db0; version=81dd2b8822410e56048b927be779d95a2b6dc186 <31af06b574394530f68a4310c45ecbe2f68853c4; version=81dd2b8822410e56048b927be779d95a2b6dc186 <378ae9ccaea3f445838a087962a067b5cb2e8577; version=81dd2b8822410e56048b927be779d95a2b6dc186 <4df663d4c1ca386dcab2f743dfc9f0cc07aef73c; version=81dd2b8822410e56048b927be779d95a2b6dc186 <af72badd5ee423eb16f6ad7fe0a62f1b4252d848

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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

CWE-908Use of Uninitialized Resource
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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