CVE-2025-40274Public exploit

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.

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 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

  1. Dec 6, 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

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.

  1. Affected versionversion=6.8
  2. Affected versionversion=a7800aa80ea4d5356b8474c2302812e9d4926fa6 <393893693a523e053f84d69320d090b93503f79f
  3. Affected versionversion=a7800aa80ea4d5356b8474c2302812e9d4926fa6 <a8ac2bd0f98e1a230f1eb3260fa552bf2ef1753b
  4. Affected versionversion=a7800aa80ea4d5356b8474c2302812e9d4926fa6 <ae431059e75d36170a5ae6b44cc4d06d43613215

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.8; version=a7800aa80ea4d5356b8474c2302812e9d4926fa6 <393893693a523e053f84d69320d090b93503f79f; version=a7800aa80ea4d5356b8474c2302812e9d4926fa6 <a8ac2bd0f98e1a230f1eb3260fa552bf2ef1753b; version=a7800aa80ea4d5356b8474c2302812e9d4926fa6 <ae431059e75d36170a5ae6b44cc4d06d43613215

Published CVSS scores

7.8LinuxCVSS: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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

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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