Linux: Use After Free
CVE-2025-38289 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 ea405fb4144985d5c60f49c2abd9ba47ea44fdb4, 4f09940b5581e44069eb31a66cf7f05c3c35ed04, b5162bb6aa1ec04dff4509b025883524b6d7e7ca 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.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to ea405fb4144985d5c60f49c2abd9ba47ea44fdb4 or 4f09940b5581e44069eb31a66cf7f05c3c35ed04 or b5162bb6aa1ec04dff4509b025883524b6d7e7ca or 6.12.37, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.12.37 or 6.15.3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | e4913d4bc59227fbdfe6b8f5541f49aaea1cb41c up to, but not including, ea405fb4144985d5c60f49c2abd9ba47ea44fdb4; 4281f44ea8bfedd25938a0031bebba1473ece9ad up to, but not including, 4f09940b5581e44069eb31a66cf7f05c3c35ed04; 4281f44ea8bfedd25938a0031bebba1473ece9ad up to, but not including, b5162bb6aa1ec04dff4509b025883524b6d7e7ca; 6.12.5 up to, but not including, 6.12.37; 6.13 | ea405fb4144985d5c60f49c2abd9ba47ea44fdb4, 4f09940b5581e44069eb31a66cf7f05c3c35ed04, b5162bb6aa1ec04dff4509b025883524b6d7e7ca, 6.12.37 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.12.5 up to, but not including, 6.12.37; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.15.3 | 6.12.37, 6.15.3 |
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.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: scsi: lpfc: Avoid potential ndlp use-after-free in dev_loss_tmo_callbk Smatch detected a potential use-after-free of an ndlp oject in dev_loss_tmo_callbk during driver unload or fatal error handling. Fix by reordering code to avoid potential use-after-free if initial nodelist reference has been previously removed.
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: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
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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