CVE-2025-38250: Linux kernel · Bluetooth: hci_core: Fix use-after-free in vhci_flush()
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High · fixed in 5.15.0-186.196~20.04.1 : patch Linux kernel soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 14:05 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 7% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 5.15.0-186.196~20.04.1, 5.15.0-184.194~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1064.66~20.04.1 +44
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 9 Jul 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.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde@6.17.0-1017.17?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux@6.8.0-100.100?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws@6.8.0-1046.49?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-aws-6.14pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws-6.14@6.14.0-1015.15~24.04.1?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure@6.8.0-1046.52?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11@6.11.0-1018.18~24.04.1?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.
AI-suggested
An official patch is available and should be applied to affected Linux kernel versions. The patch introduces SRCU-based synchronization to prevent use-after-free conditions in the Bluetooth vhci subsystem. Users should update their Linux kernel to a fixed version at or beyond 5.15.0-186.196 or the respective patched versions listed. No additional mitigation is required beyond applying the official fix.
Description
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel Bluetooth subsystem (vhci_flush function) has been resolved. The flaw occurs due to lack of proper synchronization when unlinking a Bluetooth device from the device list, potentially allowing concurrent access to freed memory. This issue was reported by syzbot and involves race conditions during device release and ioctl operations. The vulnerability affects multiple Linux kernel versions and has been assigned CVE-2025-38250 with a CVSS score of 7.8. A patch is available to fix the synchronization problem using SRCU mechanisms.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-38250 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38250 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/1d6123102e9fbedc8d25bf4731da6d513173e49e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0e5c144c557df910ab64d9c25d06399a9a735e65 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1d6123102e9fbedc8d25bf4731da6d513173e49e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/bc0819a25e04cd68ef3568cfa51b63118fea39a7 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ce23b73f0f27e2dbeb81734a79db710f05aa33c6 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7833-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7834-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7833-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7833-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7833-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7856-1 (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)