CVE-2025-38008: Linux kernel · mm/page_alloc: fix race condition in unaccepted memory handling
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 4.7 Medium · fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1 : update Linux kernel when convenient.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 13:47 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 3% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1047.50~22.04.2 +29
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 18 Jun 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: 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 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Patches and advisories
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7699-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7699-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7721-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8031-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-5 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8031-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-6 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8031-3 (opens in a new tab)
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-aws-6.14pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws-6.14?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm/page_alloc: fix race condition in unaccepted memory handling The page allocator tracks the number of zones that have unaccepted memory using static_branch_enc/dec() and uses that static branch in hot paths to determine if it needs to deal with unaccepted memory. Borislav and Thomas pointed out that the tracking is racy: operations on static_branch are not serialized against adding/removing unaccepted pages to/from the zone. Sanity checks inside static_branch machinery detects it: WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 10 at kernel/jump_label.c:276 __static_key_slow_dec_cpuslocked+0x8e/0xa0 The comment around the WARN() explains the problem: /* * Warn about the '-1' case though; since that means a * decrement is concurrent with a first (0->1) increment. IOW * people are trying to disable something that wasn't yet fully * enabled. This suggests an ordering problem on the user side. */ The effect of this static_branch optimization is only visible on microbenchmark. Instead of adding more complexity around it, remove it altogether.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-38008 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38008 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/fefc075182275057ce607effaa3daa9e6e3bdc73 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/71dda1cb10702dc2859f00eb789b0502de2176a9 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/74953f93f47a45296cc2a3fd04e2a3202ff3fa53 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/98fdd2f612e949c652693f6df00442c81037776d (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/fefc075182275057ce607effaa3daa9e6e3bdc73 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7699-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7699-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7721-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8031-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-5 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8031-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8028-6 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8031-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8052-1 (opens in a new tab)