CVE-2025-38346

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ftrace: Fix UAF when lookup kallsym after ftrace disabled The following issue happens with a buggy module: BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: ffffffffc05d0218 PGD 1bd66f067 P4D 1bd66f067 PUD 1bd671067 PMD 101808067 PTE 0 Oops: Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP KASAN PTI Tainted: [O]=OOT_MODULE, [E]=UNSIGNED_MODULE Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS RIP: 0010:sized_strscpy+0x81/0x2f0 RSP: 0018:ffff88812d76fa08 EFLAGS: 00010246 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffffffffc0601010 RCX: dffffc0000000000 RDX: 0000000000000038 RSI: dffffc0000000000 RDI: ffff88812608da2d RBP: 8080808080808080 R08: ffff88812608da2d R09: ffff88812608da68 R10: ffff88812608d82d R11: ffff88812608d810 R12: 0000000000000038 R13: ffff88812608da2d R14: ffffffffc05d0218 R15: fefefefefefefeff FS: 00007fef552de740(0000) GS:ffff8884251c7000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: ffffffffc05d0218 CR3: 00000001146f0000 CR4: 00000000000006f0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 Call Trace: <TASK> ftrace_mod_get_kallsym+0x1ac/0x590 update_iter_mod+0x239/0x5b0 s_next+0x5b/0xa0 seq_read_iter+0x8c9/0x1070 seq_read+0x249/0x3b0 proc_reg_read+0x1b0/0x280 vfs_read+0x17f/0x920 ksys_read+0xf3/0x1c0 do_syscall_64+0x5f/0x2e0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e The above issue may happen as follows: (1) Add kprobe tracepoint; (2) insmod test.ko; (3) Module triggers ftrace disabled; (4) rmmod test.ko; (5) cat /proc/kallsyms; --> Will trigger UAF as test.ko already removed; ftrace_mod_get_kallsym() ... strscpy(module_name, mod_map->mod->name, MODULE_NAME_LEN); ... The problem is when a module triggers an issue with ftrace and sets ftrace_disable. The ftrace_disable is set when an anomaly is discovered and to prevent any more damage, ftrace stops all text modification. The issue that happened was that the ftrace_disable stops more than just the text modification. When a module is loaded, its init functions can also be traced. Because kallsyms deletes the init functions after a module has loaded, ftrace saves them when the module is loaded and function tracing is enabled. This allows the output of the function trace to show the init function names instead of just their raw memory addresses. When a module is removed, ftrace_release_mod() is called, and if ftrace_disable is set, it just returns without doing anything more. The problem here is that it leaves the mod_list still around and if kallsyms is called, it will call into this code and access the module memory that has already been freed as it will return: strscpy(module_name, mod_map->mod->name, MODULE_NAME_LEN); Where the "mod" no longer exists and triggers a UAF bug.

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited locally on the machine with a low-privilege account. High risk of data exposure, data tampering, service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.2% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.

Timeline

1. 2025-07-10 09:15 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-10-15 22:18 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.2% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 7.8 HIGH (CVSS).
• Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.

Details

Published

2025-07-10 09:15 UTC

Last modified

2026-10-15 22:18 UTC

Exploit probability

0.2% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-416 · Use after free

Record status

Modified

Affected

• Linux Kernel < 5.4.295
• Linux Kernel < 5.10.239
• Linux Kernel < 5.15.186
• Linux Kernel < 6.1.142
• Linux Kernel < 6.6.95
• Linux Kernel < 6.12.35
• Linux Kernel < 6.15.4
• Debian Linux 11.0

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 7.8

Attack vector

Local

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

Low

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Is it in your code?

Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.

Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2025-38346.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2025-38346. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.

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