CVE-2025-38681

Kernel crash via unlocked ptdump traversal

Published Sep 4, 2025 · Updated Sep 8, 2026

Race condition in Linux kernel ptdump allows local users to crash the kernel by racing a dump with memory hot removal. During ptdump_walk_pgd and ptdump_check_wx, intermediate page-table levels can be freed and reallocated without the generic memory-hotplug lock, so traversal continues through stale memory and dereferences bogus addresses. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and concurrent memory hot removal while ptdump or the W+X checker walks kernel page tables.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
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

Race condition in Linux kernel ptdump allows local users to crash the kernel by racing a dump with memory hot removal. During ptdump_walk_pgd and ptdump_check_wx, intermediate page-table levels can be freed and reallocated without the generic memory-hotplug lock, so traversal continues through stale memory and dereferences bogus addresses. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and concurrent memory hot removal while ptdump or the W+X checker walks kernel page tables.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38681
Published
Sep 4, 2025
Updated
Sep 8, 2026
Vendor
Siemens
Product
SIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP
Classifications
CWE-366, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 4, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 8, 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=V3.1.6 <*

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Siemens · SIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFPversion=V3.1.6 <*
The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.7; version=bbd6ec605c0fc286c3f8ce60b4ed44635361d58b <1636b5e9c3543b87d673e32a47e7c18698882425; version=bbd6ec605c0fc286c3f8ce60b4ed44635361d58b <3ee9a8c27bfd72c3f465004fa8455785d61be5e8; version=bbd6ec605c0fc286c3f8ce60b4ed44635361d58b <59305202c67fea50378dcad0cc199dbc13a0e99a; version=bbd6ec605c0fc286c3f8ce60b4ed44635361d58b <67995d4244694928ce701928e530b5b4adeb17b4; version=bbd6ec605c0fc286c3f8ce60b4ed44635361d58b <69bea84b06b5e779627e7afdbf4b60a7d231c76f; version=bbd6ec605c0fc286c3f8ce60b4ed44635361d58b <ac25ec5fa2bf6e606dc7954488e4dded272fa9cd; version=bbd6ec605c0fc286c3f8ce60b4ed44635361d58b <ca8c414499f2e5337a95a76be0d21b728ee31c6b; version=bbd6ec605c0fc286c3f8ce60b4ed44635361d58b <ff40839e018b82c4d756d035f34a63aa2d93be83
Siemens · SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFPversion=V3.1.6 <*
Siemens · SIMATIC CN 4100version=0 <V5.0
Siemens · SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFPversion=V3.1.6 <*

Published CVSS scores

6.5Siemens ProductCERTCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:H
4.7CanonicalCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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.

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-366Race Condition within a Thread
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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