Use-after-free in Linux kernel - CVE-2025-38076

Vulnerability identifier: #VU111461

CSH Severity: Low

CVSS v4: 8.5 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N]

CVE-ID: CVE-2025-38076

CWE-ID: CWE-416

Exploitation vector: Local access

Exploit availability: No public exploit available

The vulnerability allows a local user to escalate privileges on the system.

The vulnerability exists due to a use-after-free error within the codetag_module_init() and codetag_unload_module() functions in lib/codetag.c, within the needs_section_mem(), clean_unused_module_areas_locked(), release_module_tags(), mas_unlock() and alloc_tag_init() functions in lib/alloc_tag.c. A local user can escalate privileges on the system.

Linux kernel
Ubuntu
linux (Ubuntu package)
linux-aws-6.14 (Ubuntu package)
linux-oem-6.14 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure (Ubuntu package)
linux-realtime-6.14 (Ubuntu package)
linux-oracle-6.14 (Ubuntu package)
linux-raspi (Ubuntu package)

Install update from vendor's repository.

linux (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.14.0-32.32, 6.14.0-32.32.1, 6.14.0-32.32.1~24.04.1, 6.14.0-1012.12~24.04.1, 6.14.0-1013.13, 6.14.0-1016.17, 6.14.0-1016.17~24.04.1
linux-aws-6.14 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.14.0-32.32~24.04.1, 6.14.0-1013.13~24.04.1
linux-oem-6.14 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.14.0-1012.12
linux-azure (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.14.0-1012.12
linux-realtime-6.14 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.14.0-1012.12~24.04.1
linux-oracle-6.14 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.14.0-1013.13~24.04.1
linux-raspi (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.14.0-1014.14

• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/12ca42c237756182aad8ab04654c952765cb9061
• https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3cc733e6d96c938d2b82be96858a0ab900eb6fdc

• Use-after-free in Linux kernel
• Ubuntu update for linux-oem-6.14
• Ubuntu update for linux-azure
• Ubuntu update for linux
• Ubuntu update for linux-realtime-6.14
• Ubuntu update for linux-aws-6.14
• Ubuntu update for linux-oracle-6.14
• Ubuntu update for linux-raspi