Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Affected Linux kernels may read beyond allocated memory while processing some virtio-net receive buffers. This is a kernel-level memory-safety flaw rated 8.4, with potentially serious confidentiality, integrity, and availability consequences. The supplied evidence does not establish active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority kernel update for systems using virtio-net and XDP. Absence from KEV lowers evidence of immediate widespread exploitation, but the 8.4 local, no-privilege rating and potential kernel impact justify accelerated remediation and confirmation that fixed kernels are active.
Technical view
In xdp_linearize_page, subsequent buffers read from the virtio-net receive ring were not checked against their true allocation size. An excessive received length can therefore cause an out-of-bounds read. Upstream stable commits add the missing bounds check.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Linux systems running an affected kernel and exercising virtio-net receive handling through xdp_linearize_page. The bundle flags version entries from 4.14 through 6.16, but distribution kernels may backport fixes. Package build and vendor changelog are therefore more reliable than upstream version numbers alone.
Exploitation context
The CVSS vector describes local, low-complexity exploitation requiring no privileges or user interaction. However, the bundle marks KEV false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation or a public exploit. Exact attacker-controlled inputs and reachable deployment scenarios are not established by the supplied material.
Researcher notes
The documented vulnerability primitive is an out-of-bounds read, not demonstrated code execution or an out-of-bounds write. The CVSS score nevertheless assigns high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. No CWE is supplied. Exploitability preconditions and precise consequences remain incompletely documented in the source bundle.
Mitigation direction
- Apply the distribution or vendor kernel update incorporating the applicable upstream stable fix.
- Reboot affected systems when required so the fixed kernel is actually running.
- Prioritize systems using virtio-net and XDP receive processing.
- Where updating is delayed, consult vendor guidance for supported temporary risk reduction.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux kernel package builds across systems using virtualized networking.
- Confirm whether virtio-net and XDP receive processing are enabled or operationally reachable.
- Compare package changelogs or vendor advisories with CVE-2025-38375 and the listed stable commits.
- After remediation, verify the active kernel contains the vendor backport or applicable commit.
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-2025-38375 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
- 8.4 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/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.
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:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H2.55.9LinuxVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8.4HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/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/773e95c268b5d859f51f7547559734fd2a57660cCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ddc8649d363141fb3371dd81a73e1cb4ef8ed1e1CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/982beb7582c193544eb9c6083937ec5ac1c9d651CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6aca3dad2145e864dfe4d1060f45eb1bac75dd58CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/80b971be4c37a4d23a7f1abc5ff33dc7733d649bCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bc68bc3563344ccdc57d1961457cdeecab8f81efCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/11f2d0e8be2b5e784ac45fa3da226492c3e506d8CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/315dbdd7cdf6aa533829774caaf4d25f1fd20e73CVE reference, Linux
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00008.htmlCVE reference, CVE
- 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.