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CVE-2025-38183NVD status: Analyzed

Linux: Out-of-bounds Write

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2025-38183 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 e8d48201a132f4aab31351c19a802c5a5ae820fa, 66bba1fd5bad548c03f7e42669a59f3f4d8211cc, 41017bd66c533f7af912c58273c7dfd5de0065d4 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 0.19% 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 e8d48201a132f4aab31351c19a802c5a5ae820fa or 66bba1fd5bad548c03f7e42669a59f3f4d8211cc or 41017bd66c533f7af912c58273c7dfd5de0065d4 or 4da0d23516857230b8e9b3022e25422ee2e2ba80, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 6.1.142 or 6.6.95 or 6.12.35 or 6.15.4, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinux60942c397af6094c04406b77982314dfe69ef3c4 up to, but not including, e8d48201a132f4aab31351c19a802c5a5ae820fa; 60942c397af6094c04406b77982314dfe69ef3c4 up to, but not including, 66bba1fd5bad548c03f7e42669a59f3f4d8211cc; 60942c397af6094c04406b77982314dfe69ef3c4 up to, but not including, 41017bd66c533f7af912c58273c7dfd5de0065d4; 60942c397af6094c04406b77982314dfe69ef3c4 up to, but not including, 4da0d23516857230b8e9b3022e25422ee2e2ba80; 60942c397af6094c04406b77982314dfe69ef3c4 up to, but not including, e353b0854d3a1a31cb061df8d022fbfea53a0f24; 5.18e8d48201a132f4aab31351c19a802c5a5ae820fa, 66bba1fd5bad548c03f7e42669a59f3f4d8211cc, 41017bd66c533f7af912c58273c7dfd5de0065d4, 4da0d23516857230b8e9b3022e25422ee2e2ba80, e353b0854d3a1a31cb061df8d022fbfea53a0f24
LinuxLinux Kernel5.18 up to, but not including, 6.1.142; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.95; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.12.35; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.15.4; 6.166.1.142, 6.6.95, 6.12.35, 6.15.4
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.

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: lan743x: fix potential out-of-bounds write in lan743x_ptp_io_event_clock_get() Before calling lan743x_ptp_io_event_clock_get(), the 'channel' value is checked against the maximum value of PCI11X1X_PTP_IO_MAX_CHANNELS(8). This seems correct and aligns with the PTP interrupt status register (PTP_INT_STS) specifications. However, lan743x_ptp_io_event_clock_get() writes to ptp->extts[] with only LAN743X_PTP_N_EXTTS(4) elements, using channel as an index: lan743x_ptp_io_event_clock_get(..., u8 channel,...) { ... /* Update Local timestamp */ extts = &ptp->extts[channel]; extts->ts.tv_sec = sec; ... } To avoid an out-of-bounds write and utilize all the supported GPIO inputs, set LAN743X_PTP_N_EXTTS to 8. Detected using the static analysis tool - Svace.

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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