CVE-2025-38490
📋 TL;DR
A double-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's libwx networking module causes kernel panic when page_pool_put_full_page() is called redundantly during Rx buffer handling. This affects systems running vulnerable Linux kernel versions with the libwx module loaded, potentially leading to denial of service.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel
📦 What is this software?
Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic leading to system crash and denial of service, potentially causing data loss or service disruption.
Likely Case
System crash or instability when network traffic triggers the vulnerable code path, resulting in downtime.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact if the libwx module is not loaded or the vulnerable code path is not triggered.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires sending network traffic that triggers the vulnerable code path, but no public exploit code is known.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Patches available in stable kernel branches (see references for specific commits).
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/003e4765d8661be97e650a833868c53d35574130
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to a patched version. 2. Reboot the system to load the new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Unload libwx module
linuxPrevent the vulnerability by unloading the affected kernel module.
sudo rmmod libwx
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Ensure the libwx module is not loaded by blacklisting it in modprobe configuration.
- Monitor system logs for kernel panic indicators and implement redundancy for critical systems.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if the libwx module is loaded: lsmod | grep libwxCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version is updated to a patched version and libwx module is either updated or not loaded.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages, list_del corruption warnings, or page_pool related errors in dmesg or system logs.
Network Indicators:
- Unusual network traffic patterns that may trigger the vulnerability, though specific signatures are not defined.
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("list_del corruption" OR "page_pool_put_full_page" OR "kernel panic")