Use-After-Free in Linux kernel (CVE-2025-38350)
Summary
Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2025-38350). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
net/sched: Always pass notifications when child class becomes empty
Certain classful qdiscs may invoke their classes' dequeue handler on an
enqueue operation. This may unexpectedly empty the child qdisc and thus
make an in-flight class passive via qlen_notify(). Most qdiscs do not
expect such behaviour at this point in time and may re-activate the
class eventually anyways which will lead to a use-after-free.
The referenced fix commit attempted to fix this behavior for the HFSC
case by moving the backlog accounting around, though this turned out to
be incomplete since the parent's parent may run into the issue too.
The following reproducer demonstrates this use-after-free:
tc qdisc add dev lo root handle 1: drr
tc filter add dev lo parent 1: basic classid 1:1
tc class add dev lo parent 1: classid 1:1 drr
tc qdisc add dev lo parent 1:1 handle 2: hfsc def 1
tc class add dev lo parent 2: classid 2:1 hfsc rt m1 8 d 1 m2 0
tc qdisc add dev lo parent 2:1 handle 3: netem
tc qdisc add dev lo parent 3:1 handle 4: blackhole
echo 1 | socat -u STDIN UDP4-DATAGRAM:127.0.0.1:8888
tc class delete dev lo classid 1:1
echo 1 | socat -u STDIN UDP4-DATAGRAM:127.0.0.1:8888
Since backlog accounting issues leading to a use-after-frees on stale
class pointers is a recurring pattern at this point, this patch takes
a different approach. Instead of trying to fix the accounting, the patch
ens…
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database NVD GitHub Advisory
Auto-generated summary
Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.
A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2025-38350 has been found in Linux kernel.
Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. CVSS score: 7.8/10.
What to do: apply the vendor's official patched release.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "Linux kernel CVE-2025-38350" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2025-38350 (Linux kernel) — CWE-416 / CVSS v3 7.8
Attack vector: local / no user interaction
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.
Use-after-free (CWE-416) exists in Linux kernel.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of Linux kernel.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.8/10). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Update to the patched release per vendor advisory.
Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.
Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Audit SBOM/dependencies to find affected services.
Response actions
Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order
-
1Identify exposure identify
Audit SBOM/dependencies for affected components.資産台帳・SBOM・依存マニフェストで Linux kernel を使っているサービスとバージョンを洗い出す。
-
2Post-deployment verification verify
Confirm patched version is live in productionパッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。
Fix status by distribution
Fixed packages published by each distribution for this CVE
- BellSoft Alpaquita BELL-CVE-2025-38350 linux-lts Fixed in: 6.1.147-r0
- Debian DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38350 linux Fixed in: 5.10.244-1
- Ubuntu UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38350 linux-azure Fixed in: 4.15.0-1192.207~14.04.1
References
- advisory lists.debian.org
- advisory lists.debian.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- patch git.kernel.org
- web cert-portal.siemens.com
- web cert-portal.siemens.com
- web nvd.nist.gov
- web github.com