CVE-2025-37938

tracing: Verify event formats that have "%*p.."

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: May 20, 2025 at 03:34 PM UTC
Updated: October 15, 2026 at 10:18 PM UTC
2 products affected across 2 vendorsLinux KernelDebian Linux

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%
SSVC
No known exploit

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing: Verify event formats that have "%*p.." The trace event verifier checks the formats of trace events to make sure that they do not point at memory that is not in the trace event itself or in data that will never be freed. If an event references data that was allocated when the event triggered and that same data is freed before the event is read, then the kernel can crash by reading freed memory. The verifier runs at boot up (or module load) and scans the print formats of the events and checks their arguments to make sure that dereferenced pointers are safe. If the format uses "%*p.." the verifier will ignore it, and that could be dangerous. Cover this case as well. Also add to the sample code a use case of "%*pbl".

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

5.13 ≤ v < 6.1.1366.13 ≤ v < 6.13.116.14 ≤ v < 6.14.26.2 ≤ v < 6.6.896.7 ≤ v < 6.12.265.135013f454a352cce8e62162976026a9c472595e42
Vendor states this is fixed in 03127354027508d076073b020d3070990fd6a958 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 04b80d45ecfaf780981d6582899e3ab205e4aa08 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4d11fac941d83509be4e6a21038281d6d96da50c (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6854c87ac823181c810f8c07489ba543260c0023 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in c7204fd1758c0caf1938e8a59809a1fdf28a8114 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in ea8d7647f9ddf1f81e2027ed305299797299aa03 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.13 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.1.136 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.12.26 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.13.11 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.14.2 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.15 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.6.89 (unaffected)

References (7)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/03127354027508d076073b020d3070990fd6a958
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/04b80d45ecfaf780981d6582899e3ab205e4aa08
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4d11fac941d83509be4e6a21038281d6d96da50c
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6854c87ac823181c810f8c07489ba543260c0023
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c7204fd1758c0caf1938e8a59809a1fdf28a8114
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ea8d7647f9ddf1f81e2027ed305299797299aa03
Third Party Advisory
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00045.html

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatablePartial impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-476

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