CVE-2025-40166

Resource leak via post-shutdown GuC deregistration

Published Nov 12, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Resource cleanup failure in affected Linux kernel releases starting at 6.8 allows local users to retain Intel GuC execution-queue resources. In xe_guc_submit.c, exec_destroy() requests GuC deregistration after the GuC and its CT channel have stopped, so no completion response arrives and the queue resources remain allocated. Reachability requires a running xe execution queue during forced driver unbinding; the demonstrated result is leaked GuC IDs and a kernel warning during teardown.

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

Resource cleanup failure in affected Linux kernel releases starting at 6.8 allows local users to retain Intel GuC execution-queue resources. In xe_guc_submit.c, exec_destroy() requests GuC deregistration after the GuC and its CT channel have stopped, so no completion response arrives and the queue resources remain allocated. Reachability requires a running xe execution queue during forced driver unbinding; the demonstrated result is leaked GuC IDs and a kernel warning during teardown.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-40166
Published
Nov 12, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 12, 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=6.8
  2. Affected versionversion=dd08ebf6c3525a7ea2186e636df064ea47281987 <2c6e5904c5bdbac8e0eadee40f70c42bb83f6dc6
  3. Affected versionversion=dd08ebf6c3525a7ea2186e636df064ea47281987 <9f64b3cd051b825de0a2a9f145c8e003200cedd5
  4. Affected versionversion=dd08ebf6c3525a7ea2186e636df064ea47281987 <fa708415566bbe5361c935645107319f8edc8dc1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.8; version=dd08ebf6c3525a7ea2186e636df064ea47281987 <2c6e5904c5bdbac8e0eadee40f70c42bb83f6dc6; version=dd08ebf6c3525a7ea2186e636df064ea47281987 <9f64b3cd051b825de0a2a9f145c8e003200cedd5; version=dd08ebf6c3525a7ea2186e636df064ea47281987 <fa708415566bbe5361c935645107319f8edc8dc1

Published CVSS scores

7.8kernel.orgCVSS: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

T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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