#VU109509 Use-after-free in Linux kernel - CVE-2025-37938


| Updated: 2025-05-21

Vulnerability identifier: #VU109509

Vulnerability risk: Low

CVSSv4.0: 5.9 [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/E:U/U:Clear]

CVE-ID: CVE-2025-37938

CWE-ID: CWE-416

Exploitation vector: Local

Exploit availability: No

Vulnerable software:
Linux kernel
Operating systems & Components / Operating system

Vendor: Linux Foundation

Description

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

The vulnerability exists due to a use-after-free error within the test_event_printk() function in kernel/trace/trace_events.c. A local user can escalate privileges on the system.

Mitigation
Install update from vendor's website.

Vulnerable software versions

Linux kernel: 6.1, 6.1 rc1, 6.1 rc3, 6.1 rc7, 6.1.1, 6.1.2, 6.1.3, 6.1.4, 6.1.5, 6.1.6, 6.1.7, 6.1.8, 6.1.9, 6.1.10, 6.1.11, 6.1.12, 6.1.13, 6.1.14, 6.1.15, 6.1.16, 6.1.17, 6.1.18, 6.1.19, 6.1.20, 6.1.21, 6.1.22, 6.1.23, 6.1.24, 6.1.25, 6.1.26, 6.1.27, 6.1.28, 6.1.29, 6.1.30, 6.1.31, 6.1.32, 6.1.33, 6.1.34, 6.1.35, 6.1.36, 6.1.37, 6.1.38, 6.1.39, 6.1.40, 6.1.41, 6.1.42, 6.1.43, 6.1.44, 6.1.45, 6.1.46, 6.1.47, 6.1.48, 6.1.49, 6.1.50, 6.1.51, 6.1.52, 6.1.53, 6.1.54, 6.1.55, 6.1.56, 6.1.57, 6.1.58, 6.1.59, 6.1.60, 6.1.61, 6.1.62, 6.1.63, 6.1.64, 6.1.65, 6.1.66, 6.1.67, 6.1.68, 6.1.69, 6.1.70, 6.1.71, 6.1.72, 6.1.73, 6.1.74, 6.1.75, 6.1.76, 6.1.77, 6.1.78, 6.1.79, 6.1.80, 6.1.81, 6.1.82, 6.1.83, 6.1.84, 6.1.85, 6.1.86, 6.1.87, 6.1.88, 6.1.89, 6.1.90, 6.1.91, 6.1.92, 6.1.93, 6.1.94, 6.1.95, 6.1.96, 6.1.97, 6.1.98, 6.1.99, 6.1.100, 6.1.101, 6.1.102, 6.1.103, 6.1.104, 6.1.105, 6.1.106, 6.1.107, 6.1.108, 6.1.109, 6.1.110, 6.1.111, 6.1.112, 6.1.113, 6.1.114, 6.1.115, 6.1.116, 6.1.117, 6.1.118, 6.1.119, 6.1.120, 6.1.121, 6.1.122, 6.1.123, 6.1.124, 6.1.125, 6.1.126, 6.1.127, 6.1.128, 6.1.129, 6.1.130, 6.1.131, 6.1.132, 6.1.133, 6.1.134, 6.1.135, 6.6, 6.6 rc1, 6.6 rc2, 6.6 rc3, 6.6 rc4, 6.6 rc5, 6.6 rc6, 6.6.1, 6.6.2, 6.6.3, 6.6.4, 6.6.5, 6.6.6, 6.6.7, 6.6.8, 6.6.9, 6.6.10, 6.6.11, 6.6.12, 6.6.13, 6.6.14, 6.6.15, 6.6.16, 6.6.17, 6.6.18, 6.6.19, 6.6.20, 6.6.21, 6.6.22, 6.6.23, 6.6.24, 6.6.25, 6.6.26, 6.6.27, 6.6.28, 6.6.29, 6.6.30, 6.6.31, 6.6.32, 6.6.33, 6.6.34, 6.6.35, 6.6.36, 6.6.37, 6.6.38, 6.6.39, 6.6.40, 6.6.41, 6.6.42, 6.6.43, 6.6.44, 6.6.45, 6.6.46, 6.6.47, 6.6.48, 6.6.49, 6.6.50, 6.6.51, 6.6.52, 6.6.53, 6.6.54, 6.6.55, 6.6.56, 6.6.57, 6.6.58, 6.6.59, 6.6.60, 6.6.61, 6.6.62, 6.6.63, 6.6.64, 6.6.65, 6.6.66, 6.6.67, 6.6.68, 6.6.69, 6.6.70, 6.6.71, 6.6.72, 6.6.73, 6.6.74, 6.6.75, 6.6.76, 6.6.77, 6.6.78, 6.6.79, 6.6.80, 6.6.81, 6.6.82, 6.6.83, 6.6.84, 6.6.85, 6.6.86, 6.6.87, 6.6.88, 6.12, 6.12.1, 6.12.2, 6.12.3, 6.12.4, 6.12.5, 6.12.6, 6.12.7, 6.12.8, 6.12.9, 6.12.10, 6.12.11, 6.12.12, 6.12.13, 6.12.14, 6.12.15, 6.12.16, 6.12.17, 6.12.18, 6.12.19, 6.12.20, 6.12.21, 6.12.22, 6.12.23, 6.12.24, 6.12.25, 6.13, 6.13.1, 6.13.2, 6.13.3, 6.13.4, 6.13.5, 6.13.6, 6.13.7, 6.13.8, 6.13.9, 6.13.10, 6.14, 6.14.1


External links
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/03127354027508d076073b020d3070990fd6a958
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/04b80d45ecfaf780981d6582899e3ab205e4aa08
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4d11fac941d83509be4e6a21038281d6d96da50c
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6854c87ac823181c810f8c07489ba543260c0023
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c7204fd1758c0caf1938e8a59809a1fdf28a8114
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ea8d7647f9ddf1f81e2027ed305299797299aa03
https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v6.x/ChangeLog-6.1.136
https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v6.x/ChangeLog-6.12.26
https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v6.x/ChangeLog-6.13.11
https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v6.x/ChangeLog-6.14.2
https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v6.x/ChangeLog-6.6.89


Q & A

Can this vulnerability be exploited remotely?

No. This vulnerability can be exploited locally. The attacker should have authentication credentials and successfully authenticate on the system.

Is there known malware, which exploits this vulnerability?

No. We are not aware of malware exploiting this vulnerability.


Latest bulletins with this vulnerability