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VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2025-39840: Linux kernel · audit: fix out-of-bounds read in audit_compare_dname_path()

Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.1 High.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 14:05 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
7.1High
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 4% 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:H/I:N/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 19 Sep 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

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=questingOther threatsAffected
  • 6.17.0-1003.3 – 6.17.0-1017.17
10 affected builds
Fixed in–
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-aws-6.14pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws-6.14?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • 6.14.0-1007.7~24.04.1 – 6.14.0-1018.18~24.04.1
11 affected builds
Fixed in–
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • 6.11.0-1008.8~24.04.1 – 6.11.0-1018.18~24.04.1
7 affected builds
Fixed in–
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.14pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.14?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • 6.14.0-1010.10~24.04.1 – 6.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1
5 affected builds
Fixed in–
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.14pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.14?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • 6.14.0-1012.12~24.04.1 – 6.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1
5 affected builds
Fixed in–
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-nvidia-6.14pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia-6.14?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • =6.14.0-1003.3
  • =6.14.0-1006.6
  • =6.14.0-1007.7
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: audit: fix out-of-bounds read in audit_compare_dname_path() When a watch on dir=/ is combined with an fsnotify event for a single-character name directly under / (e.g., creating /a), an out-of-bounds read can occur in audit_compare_dname_path(). The helper parent_len() returns 1 for "/". In audit_compare_dname_path(), when parentlen equals the full path length (1), the code sets p = path + 1 and pathlen = 1 - 1 = 0. The subsequent loop then dereferences p[pathlen - 1] (i.e., p[-1]), causing an out-of-bounds read. Fix this by adding a pathlen > 0 check to the while loop condition to prevent the out-of-bounds access. [PM: subject tweak, sign-off email fixes]

References

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