# CVE-2025-37885: KVM: x86: Reset IRTE to host control if *new* route isn't postable

> A use-after-free in Linux KVM allows attackers to execute code or escalate privileges via incorrect interrupt delivery when GSI routes change.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 9 May 2025
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2025-37885, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-37885, GHSA-jrv2-7qh6-cgcr, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2025-37885, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2025-37885, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2025-37885, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37885

## What is CVE-2025-37885?

CVE-2025-37885 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 9 May 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

KVM: x86: Reset IRTE to host control if *new* route isn't postable

Restore an IRTE back to host control (remapped or posted MSI mode) if the
*new* GSI route prevents posting the IRQ directly to a vCPU, regardless of
the GSI routing type.  Updating the IRTE if and only if the new GSI is an
MSI results in KVM leaving an IRTE posting to a vCPU.

The dangling IRTE can result in interrupts being incorrectly delivered to
the guest, and in the worst case scenario can result in use-after-free,
e.g. if the VM is torn down, but the underlying host IRQ isn't freed.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-37885?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-37885?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-37885 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-37885 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-37885 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-37885 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 9 May 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-37885 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-37885/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-37885/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-37885
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-37885
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-37885

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-37885/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.