CVE-2025-23138: Linux kernel · watch_queue: fix pipe accounting mismatch
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited.
Data as of 5 Nov 2026, 23:23 UTC
Rated by Threat Radar · No CVSS score from NVD or the CNA
Thin evidence
One scorer or none- EPSS
- 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 11% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Exploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 16 Apr 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by 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 5 Nov 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Linux Linux | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: watch_queue: fix pipe accounting mismatch Currently, watch_queue_set_size() modifies the pipe buffers charged to user->pipe_bufs without updating the pipe->nr_accounted on the pipe itself, due to the if (!pipe_has_watch_queue()) test in pipe_resize_ring(). This means that when the pipe is ultimately freed, we decrement user->pipe_bufs by something other than what than we had charged to it, potentially leading to an underflow. This in turn can cause subsequent too_many_pipe_buffers_soft() tests to fail with -EPERM. To remedy this, explicitly account for the pipe usage in watch_queue_set_size() to match the number set via account_pipe_buffers() (It's unclear why watch_queue_set_size() does not update nr_accounted; it may be due to intentional overprovisioning in watch_queue_set_size()?)
References
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/8658c75343ed00e5e154ebbe24335f51ba8db547 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/471c89b7d4f58bd6082f7c1fe14d4ca15c7f1284 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d40e3537265dea9e3c33021874437ff26dc18787 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6dafa27764183738dc5368b669b71e3d0d154f12 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/56ec918e6c86c1536870e4373e91eddd0c44245f (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2d680b988656bb556c863d8b46d9b9096842bf3d (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/205028ebba838938d3b264dda1d0708fa7fe1ade (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f13abc1e8e1a3b7455511c4e122750127f6bc9b0 (opens in a new tab)
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00045.html (opens in a new tab)
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00030.html (opens in a new tab)