CVE-2025-40061

Local kernel compromise via RXE draining race

Published Oct 28, 2025 · Updated Oct 28, 2025

Use-after-free in the Linux kernel's RXE driver allows local users to compromise the kernel through concurrent task draining. The do_task() path overwrites TASK_STATE_DRAINING with TASK_STATE_IDLE after exhausting its iteration budget while cleanup has dropped the spinlock, letting work reschedule after related objects are freed. Reachability requires a configured RXE device and local access to /dev/infiniband/uverbsN; successful exploitation exposes or corrupts kernel memory or panics the host.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.14%
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 the Linux kernel's RXE driver allows local users to compromise the kernel through concurrent task draining. The do_task() path overwrites TASK_STATE_DRAINING with TASK_STATE_IDLE after exhausting its iteration budget while cleanup has dropped the spinlock, letting work reschedule after related objects are freed. Reachability requires a configured RXE device and local access to /dev/infiniband/uverbsN; successful exploitation exposes or corrupts kernel memory or panics the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-40061
Published
Oct 28, 2025
Updated
Oct 28, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 28, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 28, 2025Record 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=6.5
  2. Affected versionversion=9b4b7c1f9f54120940e243251e2b1407767b3381 <52edccfb555142678c836c285bf5b4ec760bd043
  3. Affected versionversion=9b4b7c1f9f54120940e243251e2b1407767b3381 <660b6959c4170637f5db2279d1f71af33a49e49b
  4. Affected versionversion=9b4b7c1f9f54120940e243251e2b1407767b3381 <85288bcf7ffe11e7b036edf91937bc62fd384076
  5. Affected versionversion=9b4b7c1f9f54120940e243251e2b1407767b3381 <8ca7eada62fcfabf6ec1dc7468941e791c1d8729

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.5; version=9b4b7c1f9f54120940e243251e2b1407767b3381 <52edccfb555142678c836c285bf5b4ec760bd043; version=9b4b7c1f9f54120940e243251e2b1407767b3381 <660b6959c4170637f5db2279d1f71af33a49e49b; version=9b4b7c1f9f54120940e243251e2b1407767b3381 <85288bcf7ffe11e7b036edf91937bc62fd384076; version=9b4b7c1f9f54120940e243251e2b1407767b3381 <8ca7eada62fcfabf6ec1dc7468941e791c1d8729

Published CVSS scores

5.5SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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 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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