CVE-2025-38554: Linux kernel · Use After Free
Source GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High.
Data as of 13 Nov 2026, 20:07 UTC
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 19 Aug 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 13 Nov 2026.
What to do
AI-suggested
A fix for this vulnerability has been implemented in the Linux kernel by moving the mm verification into vma_start_read() and stabilizing the mm pointer before reference count decrement. Users should apply the official kernel updates that include this fix. No alternative mitigations or workarounds are indicated in the advisory.
Description
CVE-2025-38554 is a use-after-free (UAF) vulnerability in the Linux kernel's memory management subsystem involving virtual memory areas (VMAs). The flaw arises from a race condition where a VMA can be recycled and freed while its reference count is dropped, leading to a UAF when the kernel incorrectly assumes the VMA's memory management structure (mm) is still valid. This issue was discovered by Jann Horn and fixed by stabilizing the mm pointer before decrementing the VMA reference count.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38554 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1bcd236a2536a451e385f8d6d2bb589689ec812f (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e88fe54721dee17d3496bc998f0c7d243896348 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9bbffee67ffd16360179327b57f3b1245579ef08 (opens in a new tab)