CVE-2025-39764: Linux kernel · netfilter: ctnetlink: remove refcounting in expectation dumpers
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium · fixed in 5.15.0-1112.119~20.04.1 : update Linux kernel when convenient.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 11:07 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 6% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 5.15.0-1112.119~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1117.126~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1117.126~20.04.2 +63
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 11 Sep 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-8567-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8574-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8575-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8576-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8574-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8595-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8596-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8575-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8576-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8597-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8595-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8606-1 (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: netfilter: ctnetlink: remove refcounting in expectation dumpers Same pattern as previous patch: do not keep the expectation object alive via refcount, only store a cookie value and then use that as the skip hint for dump resumption. AFAICS this has the same issue as the one resolved in the conntrack dumper, when we do if (!refcount_inc_not_zero(&exp->use)) to increment the refcount, there is a chance that exp == last, which causes a double-increment of the refcount and subsequent memory leak.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-39764 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-39764 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/1492e3dcb2be3aa46d1963da96aa9593e4e4db5a (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/1492e3dcb2be3aa46d1963da96aa9593e4e4db5a (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a4d634ded4d3d400f115d84f654f316f249531c9 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8567-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8574-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8575-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8576-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8574-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8595-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8596-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8575-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8576-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8597-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8595-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8606-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8607-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8608-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-8609-1 (opens in a new tab)