CVE-2025-38708: Linux Kernel use-after-free (CVSS 9.8)

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drbd: add missing kref_get in handle_write_conflicts With `two-primaries` enabled, DRBD tries to detect "concurrent" writes and handle write conflicts, so that even if you write to the same sector simultaneously on both nodes, they end up with the identical data once the writes are completed. In handling "superseeded" writes, we forgot a kref_get, resulting in a premature drbd_destroy_device and use after free, and further to kernel crashes with symptoms. Relevance: No one should use DRBD as a random data generator, and apparently all users of "two-primaries" handle concurrent writes correctly on layer up. That is cluster file systems use some distributed lock manager, and live migration in virtualization environments stops writes on one node before starting writes on the other node. Which means that other than for "test cases", this code path is never taken in real life. FYI, in DRBD 9, things are handled differently nowadays. We still detect "write conflicts", but no longer try to be smart about them. We decided to disconnect hard instead: upper layers must not submit concurrent writes. If they do, that's their fault.

CVSS 3.1 breakdown

Attack vectorNetwork

Attack complexityLow

Privileges requiredNone

User interactionNone

ScopeUnchanged

ConfidentialityHigh

IntegrityHigh

AvailabilityHigh

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

Debian Linux11.0

Linux Kernel≥ 4.5 < 5.4.297 · ≥ 5.11 < 5.15.190 · ≥ 5.16 < 6.1.149 · ≥ 5.5 < 5.10.241

Remediation

Fixed in

Linux Kernel≥ 5.4.297

Patch & vendor advisories

References

and 3 more references

Related CVEs

Recent high-severity vulnerabilities sharing a weakness type.

Frequently asked

Is CVE-2025-38708 being actively exploited?

CVE-2025-38708 is not in the CISA KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit probability is 0.38%.

How severe is CVE-2025-38708?

CVE-2025-38708 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8, rated critical. EPSS estimates a 0.38% probability of exploitation.

Which products are affected by CVE-2025-38708?

Affected products include Debian Linux, Linux Kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2025-38708?

Upgrade affected software to a fixed version, for example Linux Kernel 5.4.297 or later, then confirm no affected versions remain in your inventory.

How Secuno handles this

Secuno correlates vulnerabilities like CVE-2025-38708 against the real software inventory on every managed device, as each hourly inventory arrives. Rather than a static severity, each match is scored in context: exploit availability, EPSS, the asset's exposure, and business criticality decide where it lands in the queue. If an affected version is present anywhere across your portfolio, it surfaces automatically with a prioritised remediation path.

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