CVE-2025-38523 Vulnerability Analysis & Exploit Details

CVE-2025-38523
Vulnerability Scoring

5.5
/10
Significant Risk

Security assessments indicate that CVE-2025-38523 presents a notable risk, potentially requiring prompt mitigation.

Attack Complexity Details

  • Attack Complexity: Low
    Exploits can be performed without significant complexity or special conditions.
  • Attack Vector: Local
    Vulnerability requires local system access.
  • Privileges Required: Low
    Some privileges are necessary to exploit the vulnerability.
  • Scope: Unchanged
    Exploit remains within the originally vulnerable component.
  • User Interaction: None
    No user interaction is necessary for exploitation.

CVE-2025-38523 Details

Status: Analyzed

Last updated: 🕤 18 Nov 2025, 21:53 UTC
Originally published on: 🕛 16 Aug 2025, 12:15 UTC

Time between publication and last update: 94 days

CVSS Release: version 3

CVSS3 Source

nvd@nist.gov

CVSS3 Type

Primary

CVSS3 Vector

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

CVE-2025-38523 Vulnerability Summary

CVE-2025-38523: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cifs: Fix the smbd_response slab to allow usercopy The handling of received data in the smbdirect client code involves using copy_to_iter() to copy data from the smbd_reponse struct's packet trailer to a folioq buffer provided by netfslib that encapsulates a chunk of pagecache. If, however, CONFIG_HARDENED_USERCOPY=y, this will result in the checks then performed in copy_to_iter() oopsing with something like the following: CIFS: Attempting to mount //172.31.9.1/test CIFS: VFS: RDMA transport established usercopy: Kernel memory exposure attempt detected from SLUB object 'smbd_response_0000000091e24ea1' (offset 81, size 63)! ------------[ cut here ]------------ kernel BUG at mm/usercopy.c:102! ... RIP: 0010:usercopy_abort+0x6c/0x80 ... Call Trace: <TASK> __check_heap_object+0xe3/0x120 __check_object_size+0x4dc/0x6d0 smbd_recv+0x77f/0xfe0 [cifs] cifs_readv_from_socket+0x276/0x8f0 [cifs] cifs_read_from_socket+0xcd/0x120 [cifs] cifs_demultiplex_thread+0x7e9/0x2d50 [cifs] kthread+0x396/0x830 ret_from_fork+0x2b8/0x3b0 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 The problem is that the smbd_response slab's packet field isn't marked as being permitted for usercopy. Fix this by passing parameters to kmem_slab_create() to indicate that copy_to_iter() is permitted from the packet region of the smbd_response slab objects, less the header space.

Assessing the Risk of CVE-2025-38523

Access Complexity Graph

The exploitability of CVE-2025-38523 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).

Exploitability Analysis for CVE-2025-38523

CVE-2025-38523 presents an accessible attack vector with minimal effort required. Restricting access controls and implementing security updates are critical to reducing exploitation risks.

Understanding AC and PR

A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.

Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.

Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.

CVSS Score Breakdown Chart

Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2025-38523, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.

CIA Impact Analysis

Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2025-38523, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.

  • Confidentiality: None
    CVE-2025-38523 has no significant impact on data confidentiality.
  • Integrity: None
    CVE-2025-38523 poses no threat to data integrity.
  • Availability: High
    CVE-2025-38523 can disrupt system operations, potentially causing complete denial of service (DoS).

CVE-2025-38523 References

External References

CWE Common Weakness Enumeration

CWE-1188

CAPEC Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification

  • Exploitation of Thunderbolt Protection Flaws CAPEC-665 An adversary leverages a firmware weakness within the Thunderbolt protocol, on a computing device to manipulate Thunderbolt controller firmware in order to exploit vulnerabilities in the implementation of authorization and verification schemes within Thunderbolt protection mechanisms. Upon gaining physical access to a target device, the adversary conducts high-level firmware manipulation of the victim Thunderbolt controller SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) flash, through the use of a SPI Programing device and an external Thunderbolt device, typically as the target device is booting up. If successful, this allows the adversary to modify memory, subvert authentication mechanisms, spoof identities and content, and extract data and memory from the target device. Currently 7 major vulnerabilities exist within Thunderbolt protocol with 9 attack vectors as noted in the Execution Flow.

Vulnerable Configurations

  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.21:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.21:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.22:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.22:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.23:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.23:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.24:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.24:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.25:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.25:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.26:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.26:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.27:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.27:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.28:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.28:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.29:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.29:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.30:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.30:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.31:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.31:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.32:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.32:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.33:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.33:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.34:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.34:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.35:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.35:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*

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