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NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

CVE-2025-38727: netlink: avoid infinite retry looping in netlink_unicast()

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 22/100)

  • 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: 0.17% (FIRST EPSS).
  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: Linux Linux 346c820ef5135cf062fa3473da955ef8c5fb6929, 44ddd7b1ae0b7edb2c832eb16798c827a05e58f0, 47d49fd07f86d1f55ea1083287303d237e9e0922.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 346c820ef5135cf062fa3473da955ef8c5fb6929, 44ddd7b1ae0b7edb2c832eb16798c827a05e58f0, 47d49fd07f86d1f55ea1083287303d237e9e0922 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: netlink: avoid infinite retry looping in netlink_unicast() netlink_attachskb() checks for the socket's read memory allocation constraints. Firstly, it has: rmem < READ_ONCE(sk->sk_rcvbuf) to check if the just increased rmem value fits into the socket's receive buffer. If not, it proceeds and tries to wait for the memory under: rmem + skb->truesize > READ_ONCE(sk->sk_rcvbuf) The checks don't cover the case when skb->truesize + sk->sk_rmem_alloc is equal to sk->sk_rcvbuf. Thus the function neither successfully accepts these conditions, nor manages to reschedule the task - and is called in retry loop for indefinite time which is caught as: rcu: INFO: rcu_sched self-detected stall on CPU rcu: 0-....: (25999 ticks this GP) idle=ef2/1/0x4000000000000000 softirq=262269/262269 fqs=6212 (t=26000 jiffies g=230833 q=259957) NMI backtrace for cpu 0 CPU: 0 PID: 22 Comm: kauditd Not tainted 5.10.240 #68 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.17.0-4.fc42 04/01/2014 Call Trace: <IRQ> dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:120 nmi_cpu_backtrace.cold lib/nmi_backtrace.c:105 nmi_trigger_cpumask_backtrace lib/nmi_backtrace.c:62 rcu_dump_cpu_stacks kernel/rcu/tree_stall.h:335 rcu_sched_clock_irq.cold kernel/rcu/tree.c:2590 update_process_times kernel/time/timer.c:1953 tick_sched_handle kernel/time/tick-sched.c:227 tick_sched_timer kernel/time/tick-sched.c:1399 __hrtimer_run_queues kernel/time/hrtimer.c:1652 hrtimer_interrupt kernel/time/hrtimer.c:1717 __sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt arch/x86/kernel/apic/apic.c:1113 asm_call_irq_on_stack arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:808 </IRQ> netlink_attachskb net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1234 netlink_unicast net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1349 kauditd_send_queue kernel/audit.c:776 kauditd_thread kernel/audit.c:897 kthread kernel/kthread.c:328 ret_from_fork arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:304 Restore the original behavior of the check which commit in Fixes accidentally missed when restructuring the code. Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org).

MediumCVSS 5.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Sep 4, 2025
Updated
Oct 19, 2026
EPSS
0.1% · 6th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

22

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.1%

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-2025-38727

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

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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.

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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.

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel
debiandebian linux

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • debian debian linux11.0
  • linux linux kernel6.6.99 and later · before 6.6.103
  • linux linux kernel6.12.39 and later · before 6.12.43
  • linux linux kernel6.15.7 and later · before 6.15.11
  • linux linux kernel6.16.1 and later · before 6.16.2
  • linux linux kernel6.1.146 and later · before 6.1.149
  • linux linux kernel5.10.240
  • linux linux kernel5.15.189
  • linux linux kernel5.4.296
  • linux linux kernel6.16

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

    • 6.16affected
    • 9da025150b7c14a8390fc06aea314c0a4011e82c and later · before 47d49fd07f86d1f55ea1083287303d237e9e0922affected · git
    • c4ceaac5c5ba0b992ee1dc88e2a02421549e5c98 and later · before 6bee383ff83352a693d03efdf27cdd80742f71b2affected · git
    • fd69af06101090eaa60b3d216ae715f9c0a58e5b and later · before f324959ad47e62e3cadaffa65d3cff790fb48529affected · git
    • 76602d8e13864524382b0687dc32cd8f19164d5a and later · before d42b71a34f6b8a2d5c53df81169b03b8d8b5cf4eaffected · git
    • 55baecb9eb90238f60a8350660d6762046ebd3bd and later · before 346c820ef5135cf062fa3473da955ef8c5fb6929affected · git
    • 4b8e18af7bea92f8b7fb92d40aeae729209db250 and later · before 44ddd7b1ae0b7edb2c832eb16798c827a05e58f0affected · git
    • cd7ff61bfffd7000143c42bbffb85eeb792466d6 and later · before 78fcd69d55c5f11d7694c547eca767a1cfd38ec4affected · git
    • ae8f160e7eb24240a2a79fc4c815c6a0d4ee16cc and later · before e8edc7de688791a337c068693f22e8d8b869df71affected · git
    • ae8f160e7eb24240a2a79fc4c815c6a0d4ee16cc and later · before 759dfc7d04bab1b0b86113f1164dc1fec192b859affected · git

Package-level exposure

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

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12linuxbefore 6.1.153-16.1.153-1
Debian:13linuxbefore 6.12.43-16.12.43-1
Debian:14linuxbefore 6.16.3-16.16.3-1

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-31431crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-placeKEV
    90Now
  • CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe KEV
    89Now
  • CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV
    85Now

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2025-38725Sep 4, 2025 · net: usb: asix_devices: add phy_mask for ax88772 mdio bus
    22Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2025-38726Sep 4, 2025 · net: ftgmac100: fix potential NULL pointer access in ftgmac100_phy_disconnect
    22Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2025-38728Sep 4, 2025 · smb3: fix for slab out of bounds on mount to ksmbd
    28Monitor

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 Linux346c820ef5135cf062fa3473da955ef8c5fb6929Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux44ddd7b1ae0b7edb2c832eb16798c827a05e58f0Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux47d49fd07f86d1f55ea1083287303d237e9e0922Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux5.10.241Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux5.15.190Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux5.4.297Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux6.1.149Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux6.12.43Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux6.15.11Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux6.6.103Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux6bee383ff83352a693d03efdf27cdd80742f71b2Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux759dfc7d04bab1b0b86113f1164dc1fec192b859Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux78fcd69d55c5f11d7694c547eca767a1cfd38ec4Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxd42b71a34f6b8a2d5c53df81169b03b8d8b5cf4eVendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxe8edc7de688791a337c068693f22e8d8b869df71Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxf324959ad47e62e3cadaffa65d3cff790fb48529Vendor (CNA)
debian:linux6.1.153-1 · Debian:12Package 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.

EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

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.

  • CVE-2026-31448230 days apartext4: avoid infinite loops caused by residual data
    37Monitor
  • CVE-2026-52933293 days apartio_uring/poll: fix signed comparison in io_poll_get_ownership()
    31Monitor
  • CVE-2026-23451211 days apartbonding: prevent potential infinite loop in bond_header_parse()
    30Monitor
  • CVE-2026-31552232 days apartwifi: wlcore: Return -ENOMEM instead of -EAGAIN if there is not enough headroom
    30Monitor
  • CVE-2026-46052265 days apartceph: only d_add() negative dentries when they are unhashed
    30Monitor
  • CVE-2026-64148318 days apartpds_core: fix error handling in pdsc_devcmd_wait
    30Monitor

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 with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
none
Integrity
none
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
None
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-835 · Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop')

CVSS vector

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

nvd-primary

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. Fix✗ → ✓

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

References

Show all references (14 more)

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

All records