Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2025-37763 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions c90b95e12eb88d23740e5ea2c43d71675d17ac8d, b5a6f97a78e2fc008fd6503b7040cb7e1120b873, 4ba2abe154ef68f9612eee9d6fbfe53a1736b064 as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.21% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to c90b95e12eb88d23740e5ea2c43d71675d17ac8d or b5a6f97a78e2fc008fd6503b7040cb7e1120b873 or 4ba2abe154ef68f9612eee9d6fbfe53a1736b064, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.12.25 or 6.14.4, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | eaf01ee5ba28b97f96a3d3eec4c5fbfb37ee4cde up to, but not including, c90b95e12eb88d23740e5ea2c43d71675d17ac8d; eaf01ee5ba28b97f96a3d3eec4c5fbfb37ee4cde up to, but not including, b5a6f97a78e2fc008fd6503b7040cb7e1120b873; eaf01ee5ba28b97f96a3d3eec4c5fbfb37ee4cde up to, but not including, 4ba2abe154ef68f9612eee9d6fbfe53a1736b064; 6.8 | c90b95e12eb88d23740e5ea2c43d71675d17ac8d, b5a6f97a78e2fc008fd6503b7040cb7e1120b873, 4ba2abe154ef68f9612eee9d6fbfe53a1736b064 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.8 up to, but not including, 6.12.25; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.14.4; 6.15 | 6.12.25, 6.14.4 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | CNA |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | NVD |
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/imagination: take paired job reference For paired jobs, have the fragment job take a reference on the geometry job, so that the geometry job cannot be freed until the fragment job has finished with it. The geometry job structure is accessed when the fragment job is being prepared by the GPU scheduler. Taking the reference prevents the geometry job being freed until the fragment job no longer requires it. Fixes a use after free bug detected by KASAN: [ 124.256386] BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in pvr_queue_prepare_job+0x108/0x868 [powervr] [ 124.264893] Read of size 1 at addr ffff0000084cb960 by task kworker/u16:4/63
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Use After Free
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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