CVE-2025-38012: Linux kernel · sched_ext: bpf_iter_scx_dsq_new() should always initialize iterator
Source GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium.
Data as of 14 Nov 2026, 20:43 UTC
- 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.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/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
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 14 Nov 2026.
What to do
AI-suggested
A fix has been implemented in the Linux kernel to address this issue by always initializing the iterator state in bpf_iter_scx_dsq_new(). Users should apply the official kernel updates that include this fix. No additional mitigation is indicated.
Description
CVE-2025-38012 is a medium severity vulnerability in the Linux kernel's BPF iterator implementation. The function bpf_iter_scx_dsq_new() may leave an iterator uninitialized after returning an error, leading to potential dereferencing of garbage data in subsequent calls to next() or destroy(). This occurs because some BPF programs call next() and destroy() even if new() returns an error, and the bpf_for_each() macro ignores these error returns. The issue has been resolved by ensuring bpf_iter_scx_dsq_new() always clears the iterator state on error.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38012 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0102989af4c334d1d98b2a0fd4d61a5152e39b72 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/255dd31bfc4a67a19b1fc2cd130a50284dadfe3a (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/428dc9fc0873989d73918d4a9cc22745b7bbc799 (opens in a new tab)