CVE-2025-38639 netfilter: xt_nfacct: don't assume acct name is null-terminated
A missing null-termination check in the Linux kernel netfilter module allows out-of-bounds reads, potentially disclosing sensitive memory contents.
- 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-2025-38639?
CVE-2025-38639 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 22 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:
netfilter: xt_nfacct: don't assume acct name is null-terminated
BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in .. lib/vsprintf.c:721 Read of size 1 at addr ffff88801eac95c8 by task syz-executor183/5851 [..] string+0x231/0x2b0 lib/vsprintf.c:721 vsnprintf+0x739/0xf00 lib/vsprintf.c:2874 [..] nfacct_mt_checkentry+0xd2/0xe0 net/netfilter/xt_nfacct.c:41 xt_check_match+0x3d1/0xab0 net/netfilter/x_tables.c:523
nfnl_acct_find_get() handles non-null input, but the error printk relied on its presence.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38639?
It affects 2 products.
Products include Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2025-38639?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2025-38639 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38639 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux
Sources
Also known as AZL-66617, AZL-73488, BELL-CVE-2025-38639, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38639, GHSA-44mx-f9p7-87j2, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2025-38639 and 5 more.