CVE-2025-38717

Local kernel memory corruption via KCM teardown race

Published Sep 4, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux kernel KCM allows local users to corrupt kernel memory by racing transport unattachment with socket release. kcm_unattach() can queue tx_work after kcm_release() cancels work but before it clears the reserved psock, leaving work queued on a kcm_sock freed by kcm_done(). An unprivileged local process can repeatedly drive the AF_KCM attach, unattach, and close sequence, causing kernel memory corruption or a system crash without user interaction.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.11%
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 kernel KCM allows local users to corrupt kernel memory by racing transport unattachment with socket release. kcm_unattach() can queue tx_work after kcm_release() cancels work but before it clears the reserved psock, leaving work queued on a kcm_sock freed by kcm_done(). An unprivileged local process can repeatedly drive the AF_KCM attach, unattach, and close sequence, causing kernel memory corruption or a system crash without user interaction.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38717
Published
Sep 4, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-362, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 4, 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=4.6
  2. Affected versionversion=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <52565a935213cd6a8662ddb8efe5b4219343a25d
  3. Affected versionversion=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <7275dc3bb8f91b23125ff3f47b6529935cf46152
  4. Affected versionversion=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <798733ee5d5788b12e8a52db1519abc17e826f69
  5. Affected versionversion=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <c0bffbc92a1ca3960fb9cdb8e9f75a68468eb308

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.6; version=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <52565a935213cd6a8662ddb8efe5b4219343a25d; version=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <7275dc3bb8f91b23125ff3f47b6529935cf46152; version=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <798733ee5d5788b12e8a52db1519abc17e826f69; version=ab7ac4eb9832e32a09f4e8042705484d2fb0aad3 <c0bffbc92a1ca3960fb9cdb8e9f75a68468eb308

Published CVSS scores

4.7UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.8LinuxCVSS: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-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
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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