CVE-2025-38512
What it is
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: prevent A-MSDU attacks in mesh networks This patch is a mitigation to prevent the A-MSDU spoofing vulnerability for mesh networks. The initial update to the IEEE 802.11 standard, in response to the FragAttacks, missed this case (CVE-2025-27558). It can be considered a variant of CVE-2020-24588 but for mesh networks. This patch tries to detect if a standard MSDU was turned into an A-MSDU by an adversary. This is done by parsing a received A-MSDU as a standard MSDU, calculating the length of the Mesh Control header, and seeing if the 6 bytes after this header equal the start of an rfc1042 header. If equal, this is a strong indication of an ongoing attack attempt. This defense was tested with mac80211_hwsim against a mesh network that uses an empty Mesh Address Extension field, i.e., when four addresses are used, and when using a 12-byte Mesh Address Extension field, i.e., when six addresses are used. Functionality of normal MSDUs and A-MSDUs was also tested, and confirmed working, when using both an empty and 12-byte Mesh Address Extension field. It was also tested with mac80211_hwsim that A-MSDU attacks in non-mesh networks keep being detected and prevented. Note that the vulnerability being patched, and the defense being implemented, was also discussed in the following paper and in the following IEEE 802.11 presentation: https://papers.mathyvanhoef.com/wisec2025.pdf https://mentor.ieee.org/802.11/dcn/25/11-25-0949-00-000m-a-msdu-mesh-spoof-protection.docx
At a glance
- Exploitability
- Can be exploited from the same network segment without logging in. 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
- PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
- 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: 8.8 HIGH (CVSS).
- Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.
Details
- Published
- Last modified
- Exploit probability
- 0.2% · EPSS, next 30 days
- Record status
- Modified
Affected
- Linux Kernel < 6.1.146
- Linux Kernel < 6.6.99
- Linux Kernel < 6.12.39
- Linux Kernel < 6.15.7
- Linux Kernel 6.16
- Debian Linux 11.0
Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 8.8
- Attack vector
- Adjacent network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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-2025-38512.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2025-38512. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.
Fix and advisories
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e3b09402cc6c3e3474fa548e8adf6897dda05de
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/737bb912ebbe4571195c56eba557c4d7315b26fb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e01851f6e9a665a6011b14714b271d3e6b0b8d32
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e2c8a3c0388aef6bfc4aabfba07bc7dff16eea80
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ec6392061de6681148b63ee6c8744da833498cdd
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e3b09402cc6c3e3474fa548e8adf6897dda05de
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/737bb912ebbe4571195c56eba557c4d7315b26fb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e01851f6e9a665a6011b14714b271d3e6b0b8d32
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e2c8a3c0388aef6bfc4aabfba07bc7dff16eea80
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ec6392061de6681148b63ee6c8744da833498cdd
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00008.html