CVE-2025-38273

MEDIUM
Published Jul 10, 2025 Modified Dec 18, 2025

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: tipc: fix refcount warning in tipc_aead_encrypt syzbot reported a refcount warning [1] caused by calling get_net() on a network namespace that is being destroyed (refcount=0). This happens when a TIPC discovery timer fires during network namespace cleanup. The recently added get_net() call in commit e279024617134 ("net/tipc: fix slab-use-after-free Read in tipc_aead_encrypt_done") attempts to hold a reference to the network namespace. However, if the namespace is already being destroyed, its refcount might be zero, leading to the use-after-free warning. Replace get_net() with maybe_get_net(), which safely checks if the refcount is non-zero before incrementing it. If the namespace is being destroyed, return -ENODEV early, after releasing the bearer reference. [1]: https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/T/#m12019cf9ae77e1954f666914640efa36d52704a2

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CVSS v3.1 Score

5.5
MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Affected Products

Vendor Product
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
debian debian_linux

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-38273? +
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: tipc: fix refcount warning in tipc_aead_encrypt syzbot reported a refcount warning [1] caused by calling get_net() on a network namespace that is being destroyed (refcount=0). This happens when a TIPC discovery timer fires during network namespace cleanup. The recently added get_net() call in commit e279024617134 ("net/tipc: fix slab-use-after-free Read in tipc_aead_encrypt_done") attempts to hold a reference to the network namespace. However, if the namespace is already being destroyed, its refcount might be zero, leading to the use-after-free warning. Replace get_net() with maybe_get_net(), which safely checks if the refcount is non-zero before incrementing it. If the namespace is being destroyed, return -ENODEV early, after releasing the bearer reference. [1]: https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/T/#m12019cf9ae77e1954f666914640efa36d52704a2 It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2025-38273? +
CVE-2025-38273 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 5.5 out of 10, rated MEDIUM. This is a medium-severity vulnerability that should be remediated as part of regular maintenance.
What products are affected by CVE-2025-38273? +
CVE-2025-38273 affects products from debian, linux, specifically: debian_linux, linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.
How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2025-38273? +
You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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