Skip to main content
VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2025-23138: Linux kernel · watch_queue: fix pipe accounting mismatch

Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database

0
Compare
Authoritative record:CVE-2025-23138· Medium

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium · fixed in 5.15.0-1086.93~20.04.1 : update Linux kernel when convenient.

Data as of 12 Nov 2026, 19:26 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
5.5Medium
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

Thin evidence

One scorer or none
Patch
Available – fixed in 5.15.0-1086.93~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1091.100~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1085.94~20.04.1 +64
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 16 Apr 2025

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponized: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq Mirage: no evidence on record.

    No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 12 Nov 2026.

What to do

Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=questingOther threatsAffected
  • 6.17.0-1003.3 – 6.17.0-1017.17
10 affected builds
Fixed in–
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • <6.8.0-86.87
Fixed in
  • 6.8.0-86.87
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • <6.8.0-1041.43
Fixed in
  • 6.8.0-1041.43
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • <6.8.0-1041.47
Fixed in
  • 6.8.0-1041.47
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • <6.11.0-1018.18~24.04.1
Fixed in
  • 6.11.0-1018.18~24.04.1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-nvidiapkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • <6.8.0-1029.32
Fixed in
  • 6.8.0-1029.32

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

AI-suggested

A patch is available and has been released in Linux kernel versions 5.15.0-1086.93~20.04.1 and later. Users should update to these fixed kernel versions or later to remediate this vulnerability. After applying the update, a system reboot is required to activate the fix.

Description

CVE-2025-23138 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel's watch_queue subsystem where pipe accounting is mismatched. The function watch_queue_set_size() modifies pipe buffer counts charged to a user but does not update the pipe's internal accounting, leading to potential underflow when the pipe is freed. This can cause failures in subsequent pipe buffer limit checks, resulting in errors such as -EPERM. The issue has been fixed in Linux kernel versions 5.15.0-1086.93~20.04.1 and later.

References

Community reviews

Loading reviews…