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CVE-2025-38447NVD status: Modified

Linux: Out-of-bounds Read

CVE-2025-38447 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 510fe9c15d07e765d96be9a9dc37e5057c6c09f4, ddd05742b45b083975a0855ef6ebbf88cf1f532a 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 510fe9c15d07e765d96be9a9dc37e5057c6c09f4 or ddd05742b45b083975a0855ef6ebbf88cf1f532a, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 6.15.7 or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinux354dffd29575cdf13154e8fb787322354aa9efc4 up to, but not including, 510fe9c15d07e765d96be9a9dc37e5057c6c09f4; 354dffd29575cdf13154e8fb787322354aa9efc4 up to, but not including, ddd05742b45b083975a0855ef6ebbf88cf1f532a; 6.15510fe9c15d07e765d96be9a9dc37e5057c6c09f4, ddd05742b45b083975a0855ef6ebbf88cf1f532a
LinuxLinux Kernel6.15 up to, but not including, 6.15.7; 6.166.15.7

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 systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.17.8HighCNA
CVSS 3.17.1HighNVD

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/rmap: fix potential out-of-bounds page table access during batched unmap As pointed out by David[1], the batched unmap logic in try_to_unmap_one() may read past the end of a PTE table when a large folio's PTE mappings are not fully contained within a single page table. While this scenario might be rare, an issue triggerable from userspace must be fixed regardless of its likelihood. This patch fixes the out-of-bounds access by refactoring the logic into a new helper, folio_unmap_pte_batch(). The new helper correctly calculates the safe batch size by capping the scan at both the VMA and PMD boundaries. To simplify the code, it also supports partial batching (i.e., any number of pages from 1 up to the calculated safe maximum), as there is no strong reason to special-case for fully mapped folios.

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.

More Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities (CWE-125)

Timeline

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

References

Recent Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities

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