Skip to content
Noroxi
NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

CVE-2025-40000: wifi: rtw89: fix use-after-free in rtw89_core_tx_kick_off_and_wait()

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 35/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.26% (FIRST EPSS).
  • Someone on the same network segment can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: Linux Linux 3e31a6bc07312b448fad3b45de578471f86f0e77, 895cccf639ac015f3d5f993218cf098db82ac145, bdb3c41b358cf87d99e39d393e164f9e4a6088e6.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 3e31a6bc07312b448fad3b45de578471f86f0e77, 895cccf639ac015f3d5f993218cf098db82ac145, bdb3c41b358cf87d99e39d393e164f9e4a6088e6 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: rtw89: fix use-after-free in rtw89_core_tx_kick_off_and_wait() There is a bug observed when rtw89_core_tx_kick_off_and_wait() tries to access already freed skb_data: BUG: KFENCE: use-after-free write in rtw89_core_tx_kick_off_and_wait drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/core.c:1110 CPU: 6 UID: 0 PID: 41377 Comm: kworker/u64:24 Not tainted 6.17.0-rc1+ #1 PREEMPT(lazy) Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS edk2-20250523-14.fc42 05/23/2025 Workqueue: events_unbound cfg80211_wiphy_work [cfg80211] Use-after-free write at 0x0000000020309d9d (in kfence-#251): rtw89_core_tx_kick_off_and_wait drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/core.c:1110 rtw89_core_scan_complete drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/core.c:5338 rtw89_hw_scan_complete_cb drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/fw.c:7979 rtw89_chanctx_proceed_cb drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/chan.c:3165 rtw89_chanctx_proceed drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/chan.h:141 rtw89_hw_scan_complete drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/fw.c:8012 rtw89_mac_c2h_scanofld_rsp drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/mac.c:5059 rtw89_fw_c2h_work drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/fw.c:6758 process_one_work kernel/workqueue.c:3241 worker_thread kernel/workqueue.c:3400 kthread kernel/kthread.c:463 ret_from_fork arch/x86/kernel/process.c:154 ret_from_fork_asm arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:258 kfence-#251: 0x0000000056e2393d-0x000000009943cb62, size=232, cache=skbuff_head_cache allocated by task 41377 on cpu 6 at 77869.159548s (0.009551s ago): __alloc_skb net/core/skbuff.c:659 __netdev_alloc_skb net/core/skbuff.c:734 ieee80211_nullfunc_get net/mac80211/tx.c:5844 rtw89_core_send_nullfunc drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/core.c:3431 rtw89_core_scan_complete drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/core.c:5338 rtw89_hw_scan_complete_cb drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/fw.c:7979 rtw89_chanctx_proceed_cb drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/chan.c:3165 rtw89_chanctx_proceed drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/chan.c:3194 rtw89_hw_scan_complete drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/fw.c:8012 rtw89_mac_c2h_scanofld_rsp drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/mac.c:5059 rtw89_fw_c2h_work drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/fw.c:6758 process_one_work kernel/workqueue.c:3241 worker_thread kernel/workqueue.c:3400 kthread kernel/kthread.c:463 ret_from_fork arch/x86/kernel/process.c:154 ret_from_fork_asm arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:258 freed by task 1045 on cpu 9 at 77869.168393s (0.001557s ago): ieee80211_tx_status_skb net/mac80211/status.c:1117 rtw89_pci_release_txwd_skb drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/pci.c:564 rtw89_pci_release_tx_skbs.isra.0 drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/pci.c:651 rtw89_pci_release_tx drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/pci.c:676 rtw89_pci_napi_poll drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/pci.c:4238 __napi_poll net/core/dev.c:7495 net_rx_action net/core/dev.c:7557 net/core/dev.c:7684 handle_softirqs kernel/softirq.c:580 do_softirq.part.0 kernel/softirq.c:480 __local_bh_enable_ip kernel/softirq.c:407 rtw89_pci_interrupt_threadfn drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/pci.c:927 irq_thread_fn kernel/irq/manage.c:1133 irq_thread kernel/irq/manage.c:1257 kthread kernel/kthread.c:463 ret_from_fork arch/x86/kernel/process.c:154 ret_from_fork_asm arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:258 It is a consequence of a race between the waiting and the signaling side of the completion: Waiting thread Completing thread rtw89_core_tx_kick_off_and_wait() rcu_assign_pointer(skb_data->wait, wait) /* start waiting */ wait_for_completion_timeout() rtw89_pci_tx_status() rtw89_core_tx_wait_complete() rcu_read_lock() /* signals completion and ---truncated---

HighCVSS 8.8 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Oct 15, 2025
Updated
Oct 19, 2026
EPSS
0.2% · 19th percentile
CWE
—

Report tools

JSON

Action score

35

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
35 / 40 · 8.8 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.2%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
total

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
—
CNA · Linux
8.8
NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

Follow CVE-2025-40000

When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

One daily email digest (06:00 UTC); connect a webhook for KEV listings and weaponized exploits instantly.

Your free account also gets you

Running WordPress? Scan your site free with WP Lens

  • Stack alerts: add the products and versions you run, get the new CVEs that affect them
  • Uptime monitoring: 1 site, instant email when it goes down
  • Add your domain: subdomains and takeover risk scanned every week (1 domain)
  • 10 scans an hour on the security tools (3 a day without an account), an API key and MCP
  • All your scans in one panel: findings, what changed in the last scan, a report per domain or per client (PDF, share link)
All free tools

Sign up with email · Have an account? Sign in

Free account, no card. Unfollow any time.

Don't want an account? Get "Exploited this week" by email every MondayDon't want an account? RSS feed for linux records

Running WordPress? Scan your site free with WP Lens

Is your version affected? Check it

Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

We use this product, ask for help

Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

—

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Linux Linux

    • 6.4affected
    • 1ae5ca615285d5d4f72d1de464716d85dffef19f and later · before 895cccf639ac015f3d5f993218cf098db82ac145affected · git
    • 1ae5ca615285d5d4f72d1de464716d85dffef19f and later · before f21f530b03b4b23448edb531a0cfea434cb76bb4affected · git
    • 1ae5ca615285d5d4f72d1de464716d85dffef19f and later · before bdb3c41b358cf87d99e39d393e164f9e4a6088e6affected · git
    • 1ae5ca615285d5d4f72d1de464716d85dffef19f and later · before 3e31a6bc07312b448fad3b45de578471f86f0e77affected · git
    • before 6.4not affected · semver
    • 6.12.52 and later · up to and including 6.12.*not affected · semver
    • 6.16.12 and later · up to and including 6.16.*not affected · semver
    • 6.17.1 and later · up to and including 6.17.*not affected · semver
    • 6.18 and laternot affected · original_commit_for_fix

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:13linuxbefore 6.12.57-16.12.57-1
Debian:14linuxbefore 6.16.12-16.16.12-1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedkernel-sourcebefore 6.17.5-1.16.17.5-1.1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedkernel-source-longtermbefore 6.18.16-1.16.18.16-1.1

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-74705udp: fix potential use-after-free in tunnel segmentation
    40Plan
  • CVE-2026-74612veth: fix skb length accounting after XDP frag adjustment
    40Plan
  • CVE-2026-74475vxlan: use neigh_ha_snapshot() in route_shortcircuit()
    40Plan

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2025-39998Oct 15, 2025 · scsi: target: target_core_configfs: Add length check to avoid buffer overflow
    28Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2025-39999Oct 15, 2025 · blk-mq: fix blk_mq_tags double free while nr_requests grown
    0Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2025-40001Oct 18, 2025 · scsi: mvsas: Fix use-after-free bugs in mvs_work_queue
    0Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Linux Linux3e31a6bc07312b448fad3b45de578471f86f0e77Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux895cccf639ac015f3d5f993218cf098db82ac145Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxbdb3c41b358cf87d99e39d393e164f9e4a6088e6Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxf21f530b03b4b23448edb531a0cfea434cb76bb4Vendor (CNA)
debian:linux6.12.57-1 · Debian:13Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-source6.17.5-1.1 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-source-longterm6.18.16-1.1 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone on the same network segment can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Adjacent
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

—

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

nvd-secondary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Change log

  1. SSVC exploitation— → none
  2. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (3 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records