Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2025-38056 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 2b49e68360eb6a1c03dc1642a51f7d9f6784c034, f9670b2e81e8a3cbf2e1e757190dd0b920a9d43f, 7dd7f39fce0022b386ef1ea5ffef92ecc7dfc6af 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 0.2% 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 2b49e68360eb6a1c03dc1642a51f7d9f6784c034 or f9670b2e81e8a3cbf2e1e757190dd0b920a9d43f or 7dd7f39fce0022b386ef1ea5ffef92ecc7dfc6af, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.12.31 or 6.14.9, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5458411d75947a4212e50a401ec0a98d4c6c931b up to, but not including, 2b49e68360eb6a1c03dc1642a51f7d9f6784c034; 5458411d75947a4212e50a401ec0a98d4c6c931b up to, but not including, f9670b2e81e8a3cbf2e1e757190dd0b920a9d43f; 5458411d75947a4212e50a401ec0a98d4c6c931b up to, but not including, 7dd7f39fce0022b386ef1ea5ffef92ecc7dfc6af; 6.12 | 2b49e68360eb6a1c03dc1642a51f7d9f6784c034, f9670b2e81e8a3cbf2e1e757190dd0b920a9d43f, 7dd7f39fce0022b386ef1ea5ffef92ecc7dfc6af |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.12 up to, but not including, 6.12.31; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.14.9; 6.15 | 6.12.31, 6.14.9 |
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.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ASoC: SOF: Intel: hda: Fix UAF when reloading module hda_generic_machine_select() appends -idisp to the tplg filename by allocating a new string with devm_kasprintf(), then stores the string right back into the global variable snd_soc_acpi_intel_hda_machines. When the module is unloaded, this memory is freed, resulting in a global variable pointing to freed memory. Reloading the module then triggers a use-after-free: BUG: KFENCE: use-after-free read in string+0x48/0xe0 Use-after-free read at 0x00000000967e0109 (in kfence-#99): string+0x48/0xe0 vsnprintf+0x329/0x6e0 devm_kvasprintf+0x54/0xb0 devm_kasprintf+0x58/0x80 hda_machine_select.cold+0x198/0x17a2 [snd_sof_intel_hda_generic] sof_probe_work+0x7f/0x600 [snd_sof] process_one_work+0x17b/0x330 worker_thread+0x2ce/0x3f0 kthread+0xcf/0x100 ret_from_fork+0x31/0x50 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 kfence-#99: 0x00000000198a940f-0x00000000ace47d9d, size=64, cache=kmalloc-64 allocated by task 333 on cpu 8 at 17.798069s (130.453553s ago): devm_kmalloc+0x52/0x120 devm_kvasprintf+0x66/0xb0 devm_kasprintf+0x58/0x80 hda_machine_select.cold+0x198/0x17a2 [snd_sof_intel_hda_generic] sof_probe_work+0x7f/0x600 [snd_sof] process_one_work+0x17b/0x330 worker_thread+0x2ce/0x3f0 kthread+0xcf/0x100 ret_from_fork+0x31/0x50 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 freed by task 1543 on cpu 4 at 141.586686s (6.665010s ago): release_nodes+0x43/0xb0 devres_release_all+0x90/0xf0 device_unbind_cleanup+0xe/0x70 device_release_driver_internal+0x1c1/0x200 driver_detach+0x48/0x90 bus_remove_driver+0x6d/0xf0 pci_unregister_driver+0x42/0xb0 __do_sys_delete_module+0x1d1/0x310 do_syscall_64+0x82/0x190 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e Fix it by copying the match array with devm_kmemdup_array() before we modify it.
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
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- 7.8 High severity
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