CVE-2025-38212 ipc: fix to protect IPCS lookups using RCU
A use-after-free in the Linux kernel IPC subsystem allows attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges via improper RCU protection.
- 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
What is CVE-2025-38212?
CVE-2025-38212 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 4 Jul 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:
ipc: fix to protect IPCS lookups using RCU
syzbot reported that it discovered a use-after-free vulnerability, [0]
[0]: https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/
idr_for_each() is protected by rwsem, but this is not enough. If it is not protected by RCU read-critical region, when idr_for_each() calls radix_tree_node_free() through call_rcu() to free the radix_tree_node structure, the node will be freed immediately, and when reading the next node in radix_tree_for_each_slot(), the already freed memory may be read.
Therefore, we need to add code to make sure that idr_for_each() is protected within the RCU read-critical region when we call it in shm_destroy_orphaned().
Weakness: CWE-416
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38212?
It affects 2 products.
Linux distribution packages (9)
kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_70 SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5 | All versions | 3-2.1 |
kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP3_Update_59 SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP3 | All versions | 4-150300.2.1 |
kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP4_Update_42 SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP4 | All versions | 3-150400.2.1 |
kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6-RT_Update_13 SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6 | All versions | 3-150600.2.1 |
kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_13 SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6 | All versions | 3-150600.2.1 |
kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7-RT_Update_2 SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7 | All versions | 3-150700.2.1 |
kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7_Update_2 SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7 | All versions | 3-150700.2.1 |
kernel-livepatch-MICRO-6-0_Update_9 SUSE:Linux Micro 6.0 | All versions | 4-1.2 |
kernel-livepatch-MICRO-6-0_Update_9 SUSE:Linux Micro 6.1 | All versions | 4-1.2 |
Products include Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2025-38212?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2025-38212 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38212 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux
Sources
Also known as AZL-64776, BELL-CVE-2025-38212, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38212, GHSA-6c9x-j9r2-vpw8, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2025-38212, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2025-38212 and 12 more.