CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2025-38068NVD status: Modified

Linux: Out-of-bounds Write

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2025-38068 is a high-severity out-of-bounds write 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 4b173bb2c4665c23f8fcf5241c7b06dfa6b5b111, a98bd864e16f91c70b2469adf013d713d04d1d13, 0acdc4d6e679ba31d01e3e7e2e4124b76d6d8e2a 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.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to 4b173bb2c4665c23f8fcf5241c7b06dfa6b5b111 or a98bd864e16f91c70b2469adf013d713d04d1d13 or 0acdc4d6e679ba31d01e3e7e2e4124b76d6d8e2a or 7caad075acb634a74911830d6386c50ea12566cd, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 5.15.185 or 6.1.141 or 6.6.93 or 6.12.31, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinux64c70b1cf43de158282bc1675918d503e5b15cc1 up to, but not including, 4b173bb2c4665c23f8fcf5241c7b06dfa6b5b111; 64c70b1cf43de158282bc1675918d503e5b15cc1 up to, but not including, a98bd864e16f91c70b2469adf013d713d04d1d13; 64c70b1cf43de158282bc1675918d503e5b15cc1 up to, but not including, 0acdc4d6e679ba31d01e3e7e2e4124b76d6d8e2a; 64c70b1cf43de158282bc1675918d503e5b15cc1 up to, but not including, 7caad075acb634a74911830d6386c50ea12566cd; 64c70b1cf43de158282bc1675918d503e5b15cc1 up to, but not including, 167373d77c70c2b558aae3e327b115249bb2652c; 64c70b1cf43de158282bc1675918d503e5b15cc1 up to, but not including, cc47f07234f72cbd8e2c973cdbf2a6730660a463; 2.6.234b173bb2c4665c23f8fcf5241c7b06dfa6b5b111, a98bd864e16f91c70b2469adf013d713d04d1d13, 0acdc4d6e679ba31d01e3e7e2e4124b76d6d8e2a, 7caad075acb634a74911830d6386c50ea12566cd, 167373d77c70c2b558aae3e327b115249bb2652c, cc47f07234f72cbd8e2c973cdbf2a6730660a463
LinuxLinux Kernelbefore 5.15.185; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.141; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.93; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.12.31; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.14.95.15.185, 6.1.141, 6.6.93, 6.12.31, 6.14.9
DebianDebian Linux11.0Not stated

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 systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.17.8HighCNA
CVSS 3.17.8HighNVD

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: crypto: lzo - Fix compression buffer overrun Unlike the decompression code, the compression code in LZO never checked for output overruns. It instead assumes that the caller always provides enough buffer space, disregarding the buffer length provided by the caller. Add a safe compression interface that checks for the end of buffer before each write. Use the safe interface in crypto/lzo.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Write

The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, many languages that perform their own memory management, such as Java and Perl, are not subject to buffer overflows. Other languages, such as Ada and C#, typically provide overflow protection, but the protection can be disabled by the programmer. Be wary that a language's interface to native code may still be subject to overflows, even if the language itself is theoretically safe.
  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. Examples include the Safe C String Library (SafeStr) by Messier and Viega, and the Strsafe.h library from Microsoft. These libraries provide safer versions of overflow-prone string-handling functions.
  • Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND discusses canary-based detection in detail.

More Out-of-bounds Write vulnerabilities (CWE-787)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Third-party and government advisories

Recent Out-of-bounds Write vulnerabilities

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