CVE-2025-38584 — padata: Fix pd UAF once and for all
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: padata: Fix pd UAF once and for all There is a race condition/UAF in padata_reorder that goes back to the initial commit. A reference count is taken at the start of the process in padata_do_parallel, and released at the end in padata_serial_worker. This reference count is (and only is) required for padata_replace to function correctly. If padata_replace is never called then there is no issue. In the function padata_reorder which serves as the core of padata, as soon as padata is added to queue->serial.list, and the associated spin lock released, that padata may be processed and the reference count on pd would go away. Fix this by getting the next padata before the squeue->serial lock is released. In order to make this possible, simplify padata_reorder by only calling it once the next padata arrives.
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 (high)+6
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.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
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)
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 matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux |
≥ 16295bec6398a3eedc9377e1af6ff4c71b98c300 and < a2048e475e22b13dc3e53d485b7e6e11464ed9a6≥ 16295bec6398a3eedc9377e1af6ff4c71b98c300 and < 73f132e60857038416540c3599b1de6033d7575a≥ 16295bec6398a3eedc9377e1af6ff4c71b98c300 and < 609e59193fc6d9dd323f1c6ae1fdd721f1c79680≥ 16295bec6398a3eedc9377e1af6ff4c71b98c300 and < a11a12a9880ab37342b73c93cfe1a3ada02ff0db≥ 16295bec6398a3eedc9377e1af6ff4c71b98c300 and < f231d5d001ec75f5886c02d496a4c79edc383d45≥ 16295bec6398a3eedc9377e1af6ff4c71b98c300 and < dbe3e911a59bda6de96e7cae387ff882c2c177fa≥ 16295bec6398a3eedc9377e1af6ff4c71b98c300 and < cdf79bd2e1ecb3cc75631c73d8f4149be6019a52≥ 16295bec6398a3eedc9377e1af6ff4c71b98c300 and < 71203f68c7749609d7fc8ae6ad054bdedeb24f91 and 1 moreversion 2.6.34 |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | ≥ 2.6.34 and < 6.15.10≥ 6.16 and < 6.16.1 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.8 | 5.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 7.0 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 1.0 | 5.9 | 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.0 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | Linux via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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 14, 2026 → Oct 16, 2026 · 3 reading(s) · max 0.18%
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.
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- SSVC assessment updated
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 7.8
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2025
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× References added · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
References
11 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/dbe3e911a59bda6de96e7cae387ff882c2c177fa
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/71203f68c7749609d7fc8ae6ad054bdedeb24f91
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/cdf79bd2e1ecb3cc75631c73d8f4149be6019a52
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/609e59193fc6d9dd323f1c6ae1fdd721f1c79680
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f231d5d001ec75f5886c02d496a4c79edc383d45
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-7848-x3wq-cg7m
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/73f132e60857038416540c3599b1de6033d7575a
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-784472.html
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a2048e475e22b13dc3e53d485b7e6e11464ed9a6
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38584
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a11a12a9880ab37342b73c93cfe1a3ada02ff0db
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98430 RDMA/efa: Keep admin queues alive while IRQ is registered 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 2d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 2d
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 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-2025-38584 is "padata: Fix pd UAF once and for all", rated High. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.18% 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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