Used in attacks· fix by 2025-09-257.8High
Linux Kernel
CVE-2025-38352
Linux kernel contains a time-of-check time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition vulnerability that has a high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
What this means for your business
- It affects Linux Kernel. It matters if your company, or a supplier that handles your data, runs it.
- Attackers are already using it. CISA added it to its list of flaws used in real attacks on 4 September 2025.
- An attacker can use it only with access to the machine itself, with an ordinary user login, and without anyone at your company clicking anything.
- FIRST's prediction model gives it a 1% chance of attack attempts being seen in the next 30 days, ranking above 67% of all known flaws.
What to do
- 1Check whether your company or your suppliers run Linux Kernel, and which version. The affected versions are listed further down this page.
- 2If you do, apply the vendor's fix. A patch or vendor advisory has been published.
- 3Treat it as urgent. US federal agencies must fix it by 25 September 2025. That deadline does not apply to private companies, but it shows how seriously CISA takes it.
- 4Because attackers have used it, check the affected systems for signs of a break-in, not only for the update.
Not sure if your company is exposed?
Fastnexa’s certified penetration testers can check whether attackers could use this flaw, or others like it, against your websites, apps and network. The full test is free for our first 10 founding clients until 31 December 2026.
Required action
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
CISA’s wording, unedited.
Scoring
- CVSS
- 7.8 (v3.1)
- Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H- Weakness
- CWE-367
- Assigned by
- 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Dates
- Published
- 2025-09-04
- Last modified
- 2026-09-08
- Added to KEV
- 2025-09-04
- Remediation due
- 2025-09-25
- Sources
- CISA KEV, NVD
Affected products
- Linux Linux Kernel2.6.36 - 5.4.295, 5.5 - 5.10.239, 5.11 - 5.15.186, 5.16 - 6.1.142, 6.2 - 6.6.94, 6.7 - 6.12.34, 6.13 - 6.15.3, 6.16
- Debian Debian Linux11.0
As listed in the NVD configuration data. Not a statement about your estate.
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2c72fe18cc5f9f1750f5bc148cf1c94c29e106ff
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2f3daa04a9328220de46f0d5c919a6c0073a9f0b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/460188bc042a3f40f72d34b9f7fc6ee66b0b757b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/764a7a5dfda23f69919441f2eac2a83e7db6e5bb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/78a4b8e3795b31dae58762bc091bb0f4f74a2200
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c076635b3a42771ace7d276de8dc3bc76ee2ba1b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c29d5318708e67ac13c1b6fc1007d179fb65b4d7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f90fff1e152dedf52b932240ebbd670d83330eca
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00007.html
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00008.html
- https://github.com/farazsth98/chronomaly
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-38352