CVE-2025-38675

Kernel memory corruption via uninitialized XFRM pointers

Published Aug 22, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use of uninitialized memory in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to read or corrupt kernel memory through the IPsec transmit path. During a preemptible xfrm_state_find lookup, CPU migration can select another CPU's cached state and enter the acquire block before state_ptrs is initialized. A local user with CAP_NET_ADMIN in a user namespace can repeatedly trigger the race, causing a kernel crash or steering kernel control flow through corrupted state handling.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.12%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use of uninitialized memory in affected Linux kernel versions allows local users to read or corrupt kernel memory through the IPsec transmit path. During a preemptible xfrm_state_find lookup, CPU migration can select another CPU's cached state and enter the acquire block before state_ptrs is initialized. A local user with CAP_NET_ADMIN in a user namespace can repeatedly trigger the race, causing a kernel crash or steering kernel control flow through corrupted state handling.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38675
Published
Aug 22, 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 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

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=6.12.13 <6.12.41
  2. Affected versionversion=6.13.2 <6.14
  3. Affected versionversion=6.14
  4. Affected versionversion=6.6.120 <6.7
  5. Affected versionversion=a16871c7832ea6435abb6e0b58289ae7dcb7e4fc <6bf2daafc51bcb9272c0fdff2afd38217337d0d3
  6. Affected versionversion=b86dc510308d7a8955f3f47a4fea4bef887653e4
  7. Affected versionversion=dd4c2a174994238d55ab54da2545543d36f4e0d0
  8. Affected versionversion=e952837f3ddb0ff726d5b582aa1aad9aa38d024d <463562f9591742be62ddde3b426a0533ed496955
  9. Affected versionversion=e952837f3ddb0ff726d5b582aa1aad9aa38d024d <94d077c331730510d5611b438640a292097341f0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.12.13 <6.12.41; version=6.13.2 <6.14; version=6.14; version=6.6.120 <6.7; version=a16871c7832ea6435abb6e0b58289ae7dcb7e4fc <6bf2daafc51bcb9272c0fdff2afd38217337d0d3; version=b86dc510308d7a8955f3f47a4fea4bef887653e4; version=dd4c2a174994238d55ab54da2545543d36f4e0d0; version=e952837f3ddb0ff726d5b582aa1aad9aa38d024d <463562f9591742be62ddde3b426a0533ed496955; version=e952837f3ddb0ff726d5b582aa1aad9aa38d024d <94d077c331730510d5611b438640a292097341f0

Published CVSS scores

4.7UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.8Linux kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.0Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.9Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/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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