CVE-2025-38555 usb: gadget : fix use-after-free in composite_dev_cleanup()
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel USB gadget driver allows local attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges.
- 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-2025-38555?
CVE-2025-38555 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 19 Aug 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:
usb: gadget : fix use-after-free in composite_dev_cleanup()
1. In func configfs_composite_bind() -> composite_os_desc_req_prepare(): if kmalloc fails, the pointer cdev->os_desc_req will be freed but not set to NULL. Then it will return a failure to the upper-level function. 2. in func configfs_composite_bind() -> composite_dev_cleanup(): it will checks whether cdev->os_desc_req is NULL. If it is not NULL, it will attempt to use it.This will lead to a use-after-free issue.
BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in composite_dev_cleanup+0xf4/0x2c0 Read of size 8 at addr 0000004827837a00 by task init/1
CPU: 10 PID: 1 Comm: init Tainted: G O 5.10.97-oh #1 kasan_report+0x188/0x1cc __asan_load8+0xb4/0xbc composite_dev_cleanup+0xf4/0x2c0 configfs_composite_bind+0x210/0x7ac udc_bind_to_driver+0xb4/0x1ec usb_gadget_probe_driver+0xec/0x21c gadget_dev_desc_UDC_store+0x264/0x27c
Weakness: CWE-416
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38555?
It affects 2 products.
Products include Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2025-38555?
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-2025-38555 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38555 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2025-38555, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38555, GHSA-4rg2-56r3-4j7p, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2025-38555, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2025-38555, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-13-CVE-2025-38555 and 3 more.