Linux: Out-of-bounds Read
CVE-2025-38111 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 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 19c5875e26c4ed5686d82a7d8f7051385461b9eb, 014ad9210373d2104f6ef10e6bb999a7a0a4c50e, 73d478234a619f3476028cb02dee699c30ae8262 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 0.23% 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 19c5875e26c4ed5686d82a7d8f7051385461b9eb or 014ad9210373d2104f6ef10e6bb999a7a0a4c50e or 73d478234a619f3476028cb02dee699c30ae8262 or bab6bca0834cbb5be2a7cfe59ec6ad016ec72608, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 5.10.239 or 5.15.186 or 6.1.142 or 6.6.94, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 080bb352fad00d04995102f681b134e3754bfb6e up to, but not including, 19c5875e26c4ed5686d82a7d8f7051385461b9eb; 080bb352fad00d04995102f681b134e3754bfb6e up to, but not including, 014ad9210373d2104f6ef10e6bb999a7a0a4c50e; 080bb352fad00d04995102f681b134e3754bfb6e up to, but not including, 73d478234a619f3476028cb02dee699c30ae8262; 080bb352fad00d04995102f681b134e3754bfb6e up to, but not including, bab6bca0834cbb5be2a7cfe59ec6ad016ec72608; 080bb352fad00d04995102f681b134e3754bfb6e up to, but not including, b02d9d2732483e670bc34cb233d28e1d43b15da4; 080bb352fad00d04995102f681b134e3754bfb6e up to, but not including, 049af7ac45a6b407748ee0995278fd861e36df8f; 080bb352fad00d04995102f681b134e3754bfb6e up to, but not including, 0e629694126ca388916f059453a1c36adde219c4; 5.6 | 19c5875e26c4ed5686d82a7d8f7051385461b9eb, 014ad9210373d2104f6ef10e6bb999a7a0a4c50e, 73d478234a619f3476028cb02dee699c30ae8262, bab6bca0834cbb5be2a7cfe59ec6ad016ec72608, b02d9d2732483e670bc34cb233d28e1d43b15da4, 049af7ac45a6b407748ee0995278fd861e36df8f |
| Siemens | SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP | V3.1.5 and later | Not stated |
| Siemens | SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP | V3.1.5 and later | Not stated |
| Siemens | SIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP | V3.1.5 and later | Not stated |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 5.6 up to, but not including, 5.10.239; 5.11 up to, but not including, 5.15.186; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.142; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.94; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.12.34; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.15.3; 6.16 | 5.10.239, 5.15.186, 6.1.142, 6.6.94, 6.12.34, 6.15.3 |
| Debian | Debian Linux | 11.0 | Not 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
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- 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:N/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | CNA |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.1 | High | NVD |
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/mdiobus: Fix potential out-of-bounds read/write access When using publicly available tools like 'mdio-tools' to read/write data from/to network interface and its PHY via mdiobus, there is no verification of parameters passed to the ioctl and it accepts any mdio address. Currently there is support for 32 addresses in kernel via PHY_MAX_ADDR define, but it is possible to pass higher value than that via ioctl. While read/write operation should generally fail in this case, mdiobus provides stats array, where wrong address may allow out-of-bounds read/write. Fix that by adding address verification before read/write operation. While this excludes this access from any statistics, it improves security of read/write operation.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Read
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a language that provides appropriate memory abstractions.
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
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/014ad9210373d2104f6ef10e6bb999a7a0a4c50e
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/049af7ac45a6b407748ee0995278fd861e36df8f
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0e629694126ca388916f059453a1c36adde219c4
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/19c5875e26c4ed5686d82a7d8f7051385461b9eb
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/73d478234a619f3476028cb02dee699c30ae8262
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b02d9d2732483e670bc34cb233d28e1d43b15da4
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/bab6bca0834cbb5be2a7cfe59ec6ad016ec72608
Third-party and government advisories
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00007.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00008.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
Other references
Recent Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities
- 8.4 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
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