Kernel use-after-free via delayed socket reference acquisition
Published Dec 4, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
A Linux MPTCP scheduler race allows attackers to trigger a socket use-after-free in Linux 5.7 and RUGGEDCOM RST2428P before V4.0. mptcp_schedule_work() queues work before taking the socket reference, so mptcp_worker() can finish and release the socket before sock_hold() increments its reference count. The upstream CNA rates the path as remote and unauthenticated, while Siemens rates its switch exposure as local and low-privileged; the demonstrated result is a kernel memory-safety failure.
Summary
What happened
A Linux MPTCP scheduler race allows attackers to trigger a socket use-after-free in Linux 5.7 and RUGGEDCOM RST2428P before V4.0. mptcp_schedule_work() queues work before taking the socket reference, so mptcp_worker() can finish and release the socket before sock_hold() increments its reference count. The upstream CNA rates the path as remote and unauthenticated, while Siemens rates its switch exposure as local and low-privileged; the demonstrated result is a kernel memory-safety failure.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-40258
- Published
- Dec 4, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-362, T1068
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 4, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=3b1d6210a9577369103330b0d802b0bf74b65e7f <035bca3f017ee9dea3a5a756e77a6f7138cc6eea
- Affected versionversion=3b1d6210a9577369103330b0d802b0bf74b65e7f <3fc7723ed01d1130d4bf7063c50e0af60ecccbb4
- Affected versionversion=3b1d6210a9577369103330b0d802b0bf74b65e7f <8f9ba1a99a89feef9b5867c15a0141a97e893309
- Affected versionversion=3b1d6210a9577369103330b0d802b0bf74b65e7f <99908e2d601236842d705d5fd04fb349577316f5
- Affected versionversion=3b1d6210a9577369103330b0d802b0bf74b65e7f <ac28dfddedf6f209190950fc71bcff65ec4ab47b
- Affected versionversion=3b1d6210a9577369103330b0d802b0bf74b65e7f <db4f7968a75250ca6c4ed70d0a78beabb2dcee18
- Affected versionversion=3b1d6210a9577369103330b0d802b0bf74b65e7f <f865e6595acf33083168db76921e66ace8bf0e5b
- Affected versionversion=5.7
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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