CVE-2025-38499: debian linux — Fix

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: clone_private_mnt(): make sure that caller has CAP_SYS_ADMIN in the right userns What we want is to verify there is that clone won't expose something hidden by a mount we wouldn't be able to undo. "Wouldn't be able to undo" may be a result of MNT_LOCKED on a child, but it may also come from lacking admin rights in the userns of the namespace mount belongs to. clone_private_mnt() checks the former, but not the latter. There's a number of rather confusing CAP_SYS_ADMIN checks in various userns during the mount, especially with the new mount API; they serve different purposes and in case of clone_private_mnt() they usually, but not always end up covering the missing check mentioned above.

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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	Versions
linux	linux_kernel	4.4.281 — 4.5
linux	linux_kernel	4.9.280 — 4.10
linux	linux_kernel	4.14.244 — 4.15
linux	linux_kernel	4.19.204 — 4.20
linux	linux_kernel	5.4.141 — 5.5
linux	linux_kernel	5.10.59 — 5.11
linux	linux_kernel	5.13.11 — 5.14
linux	linux_kernel	5.14.1 — 5.15.190
linux	linux_kernel	5.16 — 6.1.147
linux	linux_kernel	6.2 — 6.6.100
linux	linux_kernel	6.7 — 6.12.40
linux	linux_kernel	6.13 — 6.15.3
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
debian	debian_linux	All

References

Advisories & Patches

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/36fecd740de2d542d2091d65d36554ee2bcf9c65 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/38628ae06e2a37770cd794802a3f1310cf9846e3 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c28f922c9dcee0e4876a2c095939d77fe7e15116 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d717325b5ecf2a40daca85c61923e17f32306179 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc6a664089f10eab0fb36b6e4f705022210191d2 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e77078e52fbf018ab986efb3c79065ab35025607

Other References

https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00008.html https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-082556.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-38499? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: clone_private_mnt(): make sure that caller has CAP_SYS_ADMIN in the right userns What we want is to verify there is that clone won't expose something hidden by a mount we wouldn't be able to undo. "Wouldn't be able to undo" may be a result of MNT_LOCKED on a child, but it may also come from lacking admin rights in the userns of the namespace mount belongs to. clone_private_mnt() checks the former, but not the latter. There's a number of rather confusing CAP_SYS_ADMIN checks in various userns during the mount, especially with the new mount API; they serve different purposes and in case of clone_private_mnt() they usually, but not always end up covering the missing check mentioned above. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2025-38499? +

CVE-2025-38499 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-2025-38499? +

CVE-2025-38499 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-2025-38499? +

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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