CVE-2025-39965Known exploitationPublic exploit

Local privilege escalation via zero-SPI state retention

Published Oct 13, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel XFRM subsystem allows local users to escalate privileges through a zero-valued SPI allocation. xfrm_alloc_spi accepts SPI 0 and inserts the resulting state into the by-SPI list, while __xfrm_state_delete frees it without removing that list entry. Exploitation requires local access and CAP_NET_ADMIN in a network namespace; traversing the dangling entry enables privilege escalation or a kernel crash.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel XFRM subsystem allows local users to escalate privileges through a zero-valued SPI allocation. xfrm_alloc_spi accepts SPI 0 and inserts the resulting state into the by-SPI list, while __xfrm_state_delete frees it without removing that list entry. Exploitation requires local access and CAP_NET_ADMIN in a network namespace; traversing the dangling entry enables privilege escalation or a kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-39965
Published
Oct 13, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 13, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 31, 2025Exploitation reportedKernelCTF root exploitation
  3. 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=29e9158f91f99057dbd35db5e8674d93b38549fe <a78e55776522373c446f18d5002a8de4b09e6bf7
  2. Affected versionversion=2fc5b54368a1bf1d2d74b4d3b8eea5309a653e38 <9fcedabaae0096f712bbb4ccca6a8538af1cd1c8
  3. Affected versionversion=3d8090bb53424432fa788fe9a49e8ceca74f0544 <0baf92d0b1590b903c1f4ead75e61715e50e8146
  4. Affected versionversion=6.12.43 <6.12.50
  5. Affected versionversion=6.15.11 <6.16
  6. Affected versionversion=6.16.2 <6.16.10
  7. Affected versionversion=6.6.103 <6.6.109
  8. Affected versionversion=94f39804d891cffe4ce17737d295f3b195bc7299 <cd8ae32e4e4652db55bce6b9c79267d8946765a9
  9. Affected versionversion=c67d4e7a8f90fb6361ca89d4d5c9a28f4e935e47

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=29e9158f91f99057dbd35db5e8674d93b38549fe <a78e55776522373c446f18d5002a8de4b09e6bf7; version=2fc5b54368a1bf1d2d74b4d3b8eea5309a653e38 <9fcedabaae0096f712bbb4ccca6a8538af1cd1c8; version=3d8090bb53424432fa788fe9a49e8ceca74f0544 <0baf92d0b1590b903c1f4ead75e61715e50e8146; version=6.12.43 <6.12.50; version=6.15.11 <6.16; version=6.16.2 <6.16.10; version=6.6.103 <6.6.109; version=94f39804d891cffe4ce17737d295f3b195bc7299 <cd8ae32e4e4652db55bce6b9c79267d8946765a9; version=c67d4e7a8f90fb6361ca89d4d5c9a28f4e935e47

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux kernel CVE teamCVSS: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.

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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 exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

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Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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