Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A Linux exFAT filesystem error can free the same kernel memory twice during cleanup. This may crash or corrupt the system and, under the supplied CVSS assessment, could affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The issue requires local, low-privileged access; the source bundle does not establish remote reachability or active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority kernel maintenance issue for endpoints, appliances, and shared systems that process exFAT media. Accelerate remediation where low-privileged users can reach that functionality. A short, risk-based schedule is appropriate, but the supplied evidence does not justify an emergency response based on active exploitation.
Technical view
An error in exfat_create_upcase_table() frees the volume upcase table, but the later exfat_kill_sb() cleanup path can free it again through delayed_free(). Stable-kernel patches prevent the second free by clearing the pointer after the first release. Exact triggering input and exploitation reliability are not documented in the supplied sources.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to Linux systems running an affected kernel and exercising exFAT filesystem handling. The bundle lists affected releases including 5.7, 5.10.239, 5.15.186, 6.15.4, and 6.16, but does not provide complete range semantics. Distribution kernels and backports must be checked individually.
Exploitation context
The CVSS 3.1 vector is local, low complexity, low privileges, and requires no user interaction. CISA KEV status is false, and the supplied sources provide no evidence of exploitation in the wild. They also do not document a public proof of concept or confirm that arbitrary code execution is achievable.
Researcher notes
The documented defect is a cleanup-path double free following failure to create or load the exFAT upcase table. Analysis should compare vendor backports against the four stable commits and examine reachability of the error path. The bundle lacks precise affected-range boundaries, triggering conditions, CWE assignment, exploitability analysis, and evidence of weaponization.
Mitigation direction
- Install a vendor-supported kernel containing the referenced stable fix or an equivalent backport.
- Check distribution security guidance to map packaged kernel versions to the corrected commits.
- Restrict untrusted users and services from mounting or processing exFAT media until remediation.
- Prioritize systems that routinely handle removable or otherwise untrusted exFAT storage.
Validation and detection
- Record each system's running kernel and distribution package version.
- Confirm the applicable vendor package includes one of the referenced fixes or an equivalent backport.
- Identify systems where exFAT support is enabled or exFAT filesystems are processed.
- After upgrading, reboot and verify the corrected kernel is running.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CVE-2025-38206 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9LinuxVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/13d8de1b6568dcc31a95534ced16bc0c9a67bc15CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/66e84439ec2af776ce749e8540f8fdd257774152CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d3cef0e7a5c1aa6217c51faa9ce8ecac35d6e1fdCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1f3d9724e16d62c7d42c67d6613b8512f2887c22CVE reference, Linux
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00007.htmlCVE reference, CVE
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.