CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2025-38428NVD status: Analyzed

Linux: Out-of-bounds Write

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2025-38428 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 c1b9d140b0807c6aee4bb53e1bfa4e391e3dc204, d63706d9f73846106fde28b284f08e01b92ce9f1, e5a2481dc2a0b430f49276d7482793a8923631d6 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 0.22% 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 c1b9d140b0807c6aee4bb53e1bfa4e391e3dc204 or d63706d9f73846106fde28b284f08e01b92ce9f1 or e5a2481dc2a0b430f49276d7482793a8923631d6 or 8e03f1c7d50343bf21da54873301bc4fa647479f, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 5.4.295 or 5.10.239 or 5.15.186 or 6.1.142, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinux628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 up to, but not including, c1b9d140b0807c6aee4bb53e1bfa4e391e3dc204; 628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 up to, but not including, d63706d9f73846106fde28b284f08e01b92ce9f1; 628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 up to, but not including, e5a2481dc2a0b430f49276d7482793a8923631d6; 628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 up to, but not including, 8e03f1c7d50343bf21da54873301bc4fa647479f; 628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 up to, but not including, 17474a56acf708bf6b2d174c06ed26abad0a9fd6; 628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 up to, but not including, 5a8cd6ae8393e2eaebf51d420d5374821ef2af87; 628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 up to, but not including, 74661516daee1eadebede8dc607b6830530096ec; 628329d52474323938a03826941e166bc7c8eff4 up to, but not including, a95ef0199e80f3384eb992889322957d26c00102; and 1 more rangesc1b9d140b0807c6aee4bb53e1bfa4e391e3dc204, d63706d9f73846106fde28b284f08e01b92ce9f1, e5a2481dc2a0b430f49276d7482793a8923631d6, 8e03f1c7d50343bf21da54873301bc4fa647479f, 17474a56acf708bf6b2d174c06ed26abad0a9fd6, 5a8cd6ae8393e2eaebf51d420d5374821ef2af87
LinuxLinux Kernel3.10 up to, but not including, 5.4.295; 5.5 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, 6.6.95; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.12.35; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.15.45.4.295, 5.10.239, 5.15.186, 6.1.142, 6.6.95, 6.12.35
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: Input: ims-pcu - check record size in ims_pcu_flash_firmware() The "len" variable comes from the firmware and we generally do trust firmware, but it's always better to double check. If the "len" is too large it could result in memory corruption when we do "memcpy(fragment->data, rec->data, len);"

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

Spotted an error? Tell us.