CVE-2025-38544 — rxrpc: Fix bug due to prealloc collision
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: rxrpc: Fix bug due to prealloc collision When userspace is using AF_RXRPC to provide a server, it has to preallocate incoming calls and assign to them call IDs that will be used to thread related recvmsg() and sendmsg() together. The preallocated call IDs will automatically be attached to calls as they come in until the pool is empty. To the kernel, the call IDs are just arbitrary numbers, but userspace can use the call ID to hold a pointer to prepared structs. In any case, the user isn't permitted to create two calls with the same call ID (call IDs become available again when the call ends) and EBADSLT should result from sendmsg() if an attempt is made to preallocate a call with an in-use call ID. However, the cleanup in the error handling will trigger both assertions in rxrpc_cleanup_call() because the call isn't marked complete and isn't marked as having been released. Fix this by setting the call state in rxrpc_service_prealloc_one() and then marking it as being released before calling the cleanup function.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+1
- Technical severity (medium)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | ≥ 00e907127e6f86d0f9b122d9b4347a8aa09a8b61 and < 3838acfc347b803b66a2c8eb510da1c489d44ca1≥ 00e907127e6f86d0f9b122d9b4347a8aa09a8b61 and < 432c5363cd6fe5a928bbc94524d28b05515684dd≥ 00e907127e6f86d0f9b122d9b4347a8aa09a8b61 and < 5385ad53793de2ab11e396bdcdaa65bb04b4dad6≥ 00e907127e6f86d0f9b122d9b4347a8aa09a8b61 and < d8ffb47a443919277cb093c3db1ec6c0a06880b1≥ 00e907127e6f86d0f9b122d9b4347a8aa09a8b61 and < 69e4186773c6445b258fb45b6e1df18df831ec45version 4.9 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | ≥ 4.9 and < 6.6.99≥ 6.7 and < 6.12.39≥ 6.13 and < 6.15.7version 6.16-rc1version 6.16-rc2version 6.16-rc3version 6.16-rc4version 6.16-rc5 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 1.8 | 3.6 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 29, 2026 → Oct 30, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.15%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · linux/linux kernel
- CVSS changed · 5.5
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2025
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 30, 2026 – Oct 30, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 30, 2026 – Oct 30, 2026
References
7 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/432c5363cd6fe5a928bbc94524d28b05515684dd
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/69e4186773c6445b258fb45b6e1df18df831ec45
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d8ffb47a443919277cb093c3db1ec6c0a06880b1
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/5385ad53793de2ab11e396bdcdaa65bb04b4dad6
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-2fgf-j87m-qgrf
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38544
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3838acfc347b803b66a2c8eb510da1c489d44ca1
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
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- Unknown CVE-2026-99215 power: supply: core: prevent unregistering a power supply while a callback runs 3d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99207 scsi: target: Disable interrupts while holding delayed_cmd_lock 3d
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Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2025-38544 is "rxrpc: Fix bug due to prealloc collision", rated Medium. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.15% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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