Local privilege escalation via stale guest_memfd binding
Published Dec 6, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in Linux KVM 6.8 allows local users with /dev/kvm access to corrupt kernel memory during guest_memfd teardown. When a dying guest_memfd retains a deleted memslot binding, kvm_gmem_release writes through the freed kvm_memory_slot and passes its stale data into MMU teardown. A local process controlling both sides of the race can disclose or modify kernel memory, escalate privileges, or panic the host without guest access or user interaction.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Linux KVM 6.8 allows local users with /dev/kvm access to corrupt kernel memory during guest_memfd teardown. When a dying guest_memfd retains a deleted memslot binding, kvm_gmem_release writes through the freed kvm_memory_slot and passes its stale data into MMU teardown. A local process controlling both sides of the race can disclose or modify kernel memory, escalate privileges, or panic the host without guest access or user interaction.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-40274
- Published
- Dec 6, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 6, 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
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=6.8
- Affected versionversion=a7800aa80ea4d5356b8474c2302812e9d4926fa6 <393893693a523e053f84d69320d090b93503f79f
- Affected versionversion=a7800aa80ea4d5356b8474c2302812e9d4926fa6 <a8ac2bd0f98e1a230f1eb3260fa552bf2ef1753b
- Affected versionversion=a7800aa80ea4d5356b8474c2302812e9d4926fa6 <ae431059e75d36170a5ae6b44cc4d06d43613215
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
- syzbot C reproducer for kvm_gmem_release use-after-freeproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo