Buffer overflow in Linux kernel - CVE-2025-38688
Published: September 5, 2025
Vulnerability identifier: #VU114841
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-2025-38688
CWE-ID: CWE-119
Exploitation vector: Local access
Exploit availability:
No public exploit available
Vulnerability details
The vulnerability allows a local user to escalate privileges on the system.
The vulnerability exists due to memory corruption within the iopt_area_contig_next() function in drivers/iommu/iommufd/io_pagetable.c. A local user can escalate privileges on the system.
Affected software
Linux kernel
Ubuntu
openEuler
python3-perf-debuginfo
kernel
bpftool
bpftool-debuginfo
kernel-debuginfo
kernel-debugsource
kernel-devel
kernel-headers
kernel-source
kernel-tools
kernel-tools-debuginfo
kernel-tools-devel
perf
perf-debuginfo
python3-perf
kernel-extra-modules
linux (Ubuntu package)
linux-aws-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux-lowlatency (Ubuntu package)
linux-hwe-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-xilinx (Ubuntu package)
linux-aws (Ubuntu package)
linux-gcp (Ubuntu package)
linux-ibm (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia-lowlatency (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux-gcp-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux-gcp-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-raspi-realtime (Ubuntu package)
linux-realtime-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
Ubuntu
openEuler
python3-perf-debuginfo
kernel
bpftool
bpftool-debuginfo
kernel-debuginfo
kernel-debugsource
kernel-devel
kernel-headers
kernel-source
kernel-tools
kernel-tools-debuginfo
kernel-tools-devel
perf
perf-debuginfo
python3-perf
kernel-extra-modules
linux (Ubuntu package)
linux-aws-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux-lowlatency (Ubuntu package)
linux-hwe-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-xilinx (Ubuntu package)
linux-aws (Ubuntu package)
linux-gcp (Ubuntu package)
linux-ibm (Ubuntu package)
linux-nvidia-lowlatency (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux-gcp-fips (Ubuntu package)
linux-gcp-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-azure-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
linux-raspi-realtime (Ubuntu package)
linux-realtime-6.8 (Ubuntu package)
How to mitigate CVE-2025-38688
Install update from vendor's repository.
python3-perf-debuginfo - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
bpftool - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
bpftool-debuginfo - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-debuginfo - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-debugsource - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-devel - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-headers - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-source - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-tools - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-tools-debuginfo - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-tools-devel - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
perf - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
perf-debuginfo - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
python3-perf - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-extra-modules - update to 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
linux (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-100.100, 6.8.0-1047.51
linux-aws-fips (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-100.100+fips1, 6.8.0-1046.49+fips1
linux-lowlatency (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-100.100.1
linux-hwe-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-100.100.1~22.04.1, 6.8.0-100.100~22.04.1
linux-xilinx (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0.1023.24, 6.8.0-1023.24
linux-aws (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-1030.33, 6.8.0-1043.44, 6.8.0-1043.44~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1
linux-gcp (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-1043.48, 6.8.0-1047.50~22.04.2
linux-ibm (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-1044.44, 6.8.0-1044.44~22.04.1
linux-nvidia-lowlatency (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1046.49.1
linux-azure (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1046.52
linux-azure-fips (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1046.52+fips1
linux-gcp-fips (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1047.50+fips1
linux-gcp-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1047.50~22.04.2
linux-azure-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1
linux-raspi-realtime (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-2037.38, 6.8.1-1041.42
linux-realtime-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.1-1041.42~22.04.1
kernel - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
bpftool - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
bpftool-debuginfo - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-debuginfo - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-debugsource - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-devel - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-headers - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-source - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-tools - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-tools-debuginfo - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-tools-devel - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
perf - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
perf-debuginfo - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
python3-perf - addressed in versions 6.6.0-138.0.0.119, 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
kernel-extra-modules - update to 6.6.0-138.0.0.132
linux (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-100.100, 6.8.0-1047.51
linux-aws-fips (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-100.100+fips1, 6.8.0-1046.49+fips1
linux-lowlatency (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-100.100.1
linux-hwe-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-100.100.1~22.04.1, 6.8.0-100.100~22.04.1
linux-xilinx (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0.1023.24, 6.8.0-1023.24
linux-aws (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-1030.33, 6.8.0-1043.44, 6.8.0-1043.44~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1
linux-gcp (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-1043.48, 6.8.0-1047.50~22.04.2
linux-ibm (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-1044.44, 6.8.0-1044.44~22.04.1
linux-nvidia-lowlatency (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1046.49.1
linux-azure (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1046.52
linux-azure-fips (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1046.52+fips1
linux-gcp-fips (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1047.50+fips1
linux-gcp-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1047.50~22.04.2
linux-azure-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1
linux-raspi-realtime (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 6.8.0-2037.38, 6.8.1-1041.42
linux-realtime-6.8 (Ubuntu package) - update to 6.8.1-1041.42~22.04.1
External References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/79fad1917802c28de51a479318a056a6fbe3e2f2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b42497e3c0e74db061eafad41c0cd7243c46436b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d19b817540c0abe84854a64ee9ee34cecc3bbeef
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e42a046bb41dcdde4f766a17d8211842007ed537
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ebb6021560b94649bec6b8faba6fe0dca2218e81
Related Security Bulletins
- Buffer overflow in Linux kernel iommu iommufd driver
- openEuler 24.03 LTS SP2 update for kernel
- openEuler 24.03 LTS SP1 update for kernel
- openEuler 24.03 LTS update for kernel
- Ubuntu update for linux
- Ubuntu update for linux-realtime-6.8
- Ubuntu update for linux-gcp-6.8
- Ubuntu update for linux-aws-fips
- Ubuntu update for linux-raspi-realtime
- Ubuntu update for linux-aws
- Ubuntu update for linux-gcp-fips
- Ubuntu update for linux-hwe-6.8
- Ubuntu update for linux-lowlatency
- Ubuntu update for linux-gcp
- Ubuntu update for linux-nvidia-lowlatency
- Ubuntu update for linux-xilinx
- Ubuntu update for linux-ibm
- Ubuntu update for linux-azure-fips
- Ubuntu update for linux-azure
- Ubuntu update for linux-azure-6.8