Use-After-Free in Linux kernel (CVE-2025-38594)
Summary
Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2025-38594). 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:
iommu/vt-d: Fix UAF on sva unbind with pending IOPFs
Commit 17fce9d2336d ("iommu/vt-d: Put iopf enablement in domain attach
path") disables IOPF on device by removing the device from its IOMMU's
IOPF queue when the last IOPF-capable domain is detached from the device.
Unfortunately, it did this in a wrong place where there are still pending
IOPFs. As a result, a use-after-free error is potentially triggered and
eventually a kernel panic with a kernel trace similar to the following:
refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free.
WARNING: CPU: 3 PID: 313 at lib/refcount.c:28 refcount_warn_saturate+0xd8/0xe0
Workqueue: iopf_queue/dmar0-iopfq iommu_sva_handle_iopf
Call Trace:
iopf_free_group+0xe/0x20
process_one_work+0x197/0x3d0
worker_thread+0x23a/0x350
? rescuer_thread+0x4a0/0x4a0
kthread+0xf8/0x230
? finish_task_switch.isra.0+0x81/0x260
? kthreads_online_cpu+0x110/0x110
? kthreads_online_cpu+0x110/0x110
ret_from_fork+0x13b/0x170
? kthreads_online_cpu+0x110/0x110
ret_from_fork_asm+0x11/0x20
---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---
The intel_pasid_tear_down_entry() function is responsible for blocking
hardware from generating new page faults and flushing all in-flight
ones. Therefore, moving iopf_for_domain_remove() after this function
should resolve this.
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database NVD
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-2025-38594 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-2025-38594" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2025-38594 (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。
Affected packages
Fix status by distribution
Fixed packages published by each distribution for this CVE
- BellSoft Alpaquita BELL-CVE-2025-38594 linux-lts Fixed in: 6.18.35-r1
- Ubuntu UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38594 linux-hwe-edge
References
- advisory github.com
- advisory nvd.nist.gov
- package git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org