Linux: Out-of-bounds Read
CVE-2025-38636 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 cb8de6f5ed5c43f7387615bbe601d2a4a31b7b35, dcae71222c8b9e5b5dd88a2d67347dedf10e68c6, 665ca03e93cee01baadc7b5eaee21b9d892e0dab 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.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to cb8de6f5ed5c43f7387615bbe601d2a4a31b7b35 or dcae71222c8b9e5b5dd88a2d67347dedf10e68c6 or 665ca03e93cee01baadc7b5eaee21b9d892e0dab or 0ebc70d973ce7a81826b5c4f55f743e07f5864d9, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.16.1 or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 792575348ff70e05c6040d02fce38e949ef92c37 up to, but not including, cb8de6f5ed5c43f7387615bbe601d2a4a31b7b35; 792575348ff70e05c6040d02fce38e949ef92c37 up to, but not including, dcae71222c8b9e5b5dd88a2d67347dedf10e68c6; 792575348ff70e05c6040d02fce38e949ef92c37 up to, but not including, 665ca03e93cee01baadc7b5eaee21b9d892e0dab; 792575348ff70e05c6040d02fce38e949ef92c37 up to, but not including, 0ebc70d973ce7a81826b5c4f55f743e07f5864d9; 792575348ff70e05c6040d02fce38e949ef92c37 up to, but not including, 7f904ff6e58d398c4336f3c19c42b338324451f7; 6.0 | cb8de6f5ed5c43f7387615bbe601d2a4a31b7b35, dcae71222c8b9e5b5dd88a2d67347dedf10e68c6, 665ca03e93cee01baadc7b5eaee21b9d892e0dab, 0ebc70d973ce7a81826b5c4f55f743e07f5864d9, 7f904ff6e58d398c4336f3c19c42b338324451f7 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.0 up to, but not including, 6.16.1 | 6.16.1 |
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.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: rv: Use strings in da monitors tracepoints Using DA monitors tracepoints with KASAN enabled triggers the following warning: BUG: KASAN: global-out-of-bounds in do_trace_event_raw_event_event_da_monitor+0xd6/0x1a0 Read of size 32 at addr ffffffffaada8980 by task ... Call Trace: <TASK> [...] do_trace_event_raw_event_event_da_monitor+0xd6/0x1a0 ? __pfx_do_trace_event_raw_event_event_da_monitor+0x10/0x10 ? trace_event_sncid+0x83/0x200 trace_event_sncid+0x163/0x200 [...] The buggy address belongs to the variable: automaton_snep+0x4e0/0x5e0 This is caused by the tracepoints reading 32 bytes __array instead of __string from the automata definition. Such strings are literals and reading 32 bytes ends up in out of bound memory accesses (e.g. the next automaton's data in this case). The error is harmless as, while printing the string, we stop at the null terminator, but it should still be fixed. Use the __string facilities while defining the tracepoints to avoid reading out of bound memory.
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: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Other references
Recent Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities
- 7.1 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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