Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2025-37861 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 e9efbd037b9002ce9dd012da612e857e98dfcb3e, 31dad8d385953a886e57df70ab43ee25ba37797c, 65ba18c84dbd03afe9b38c06c151239d97a09834 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 0.33% 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 e9efbd037b9002ce9dd012da612e857e98dfcb3e or 31dad8d385953a886e57df70ab43ee25ba37797c or 65ba18c84dbd03afe9b38c06c151239d97a09834 or 8d310d66e2b0f5f9f709764641647e8a3a4924fa, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.12.24 or 6.13.12 or 6.14.3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | c4f7ac64616ee513f9ac4ae6c4d8c3cccb6974df up to, but not including, e9efbd037b9002ce9dd012da612e857e98dfcb3e; c4f7ac64616ee513f9ac4ae6c4d8c3cccb6974df up to, but not including, 31dad8d385953a886e57df70ab43ee25ba37797c; c4f7ac64616ee513f9ac4ae6c4d8c3cccb6974df up to, but not including, 65ba18c84dbd03afe9b38c06c151239d97a09834; c4f7ac64616ee513f9ac4ae6c4d8c3cccb6974df up to, but not including, 8d310d66e2b0f5f9f709764641647e8a3a4924fa; c4f7ac64616ee513f9ac4ae6c4d8c3cccb6974df up to, but not including, 75b67dca4195e11ccf966a704787b2aa2754a457; c4f7ac64616ee513f9ac4ae6c4d8c3cccb6974df up to, but not including, f195fc060c738d303a21fae146dbf85e1595fb4c; 5.14 | e9efbd037b9002ce9dd012da612e857e98dfcb3e, 31dad8d385953a886e57df70ab43ee25ba37797c, 65ba18c84dbd03afe9b38c06c151239d97a09834, 8d310d66e2b0f5f9f709764641647e8a3a4924fa, 75b67dca4195e11ccf966a704787b2aa2754a457, f195fc060c738d303a21fae146dbf85e1595fb4c |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 5.14 up to, but not including, 6.12.24; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.13.12; 6.14 up to, but not including, 6.14.3 | 6.12.24, 6.13.12, 6.14.3 |
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: scsi: mpi3mr: Synchronous access b/w reset and tm thread for reply queue When the task management thread processes reply queues while the reset thread resets them, the task management thread accesses an invalid queue ID (0xFFFF), set by the reset thread, which points to unallocated memory, causing a crash. Add flag 'io_admin_reset_sync' to synchronize access between the reset, I/O, and admin threads. Before a reset, the reset handler sets this flag to block I/O and admin processing threads. If any thread bypasses the initial check, the reset thread waits up to 10 seconds for processing to finish. If the wait exceeds 10 seconds, the controller is marked as unrecoverable.
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.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Other references
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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