Skip to main content
VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2025-40176: Linux kernel · tls: wait for pending async decryptions if tls_strp_msg_hold fails

Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 9.8 Critical · fixed in 6.8.0-1050.53~22.04.1 : patch Linux kernel as a priority.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 13:47 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
9.8Critical
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.4% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 41% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch
Available – fixed in 6.8.0-1050.53~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1052.55~22.04.1 +35
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 12 Nov 2025

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq 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

ProductAffectedFixed in
Ubuntu 25.10linuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux@6.17.0-14.14?arch=source&distro=questingOther threatsAffected
  • <6.17.0-14.14
Fixed in
  • 6.17.0-14.14
Ubuntu 25.10linux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws@6.17.0-1007.7?arch=source&distro=questingOther threatsAffected
  • <6.17.0-1007.7
Fixed in
  • 6.17.0-1007.7
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure@6.17.0-1008.8?arch=source&distro=questingOther threatsAffected
  • <6.17.0-1008.8
Fixed in
  • 6.17.0-1008.8
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde@6.17.0-1017.17?arch=source&distro=questingOther threatsAffected
  • 6.17.0-1003.3 – 6.17.0-1017.17
10 affected builds
Fixed in–
Ubuntu 25.10linux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp@6.17.0-1007.7?arch=source&distro=questingOther threatsAffected
  • <6.17.0-1007.7
Fixed in
  • 6.17.0-1007.7
Ubuntu 25.10linux-oraclepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-oracle@6.17.0-1007.7?arch=source&distro=questingOther threatsAffected
  • <6.17.0-1007.7
Fixed in
  • 6.17.0-1007.7

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: tls: wait for pending async decryptions if tls_strp_msg_hold fails Async decryption calls tls_strp_msg_hold to create a clone of the input skb to hold references to the memory it uses. If we fail to allocate that clone, proceeding with async decryption can lead to various issues (UAF on the skb, writing into userspace memory after the recv() call has returned). In this case, wait for all pending decryption requests.

References

Community reviews

Loading reviews…