CVE-2025-38052: net/tipc: fix slab-use-after-free Read in tipc_aead_encrypt_done

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2025-38052 is a high (CVSS 8.8) Use After Free vulnerability in debian debian_linux. EPSS estimates a 0.55% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 46.2% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 18-06-2025
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 15-10-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/tipc: fix slab-use-after-free Read in tipc_aead_encrypt_done Syzbot reported a slab-use-after-free with the following call trace: ================================================================== BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in tipc_aead_encrypt_done+0x4bd/0x510 net/tipc/crypto.c:840 Read of size 8 at addr ffff88807a733000 by task kworker/1:0/25 Call Trace: kasan_report+0xd9/0x110 mm/kasan/report.c:601 tipc_aead_encrypt_done+0x4bd/0x510 net/tipc/crypto.c:840 crypto_request_complete include/crypto/algapi.h:266 aead_request_complete include/crypto/internal/aead.h:85 cryptd_aead_crypt+0x3b8/0x750 crypto/cryptd.c:772 crypto_request_complete include/crypto/algapi.h:266 cryptd_queue_worker+0x131/0x200 crypto/cryptd.c:181 process_one_work+0x9fb/0x1b60 kernel/workqueue.c:3231 Allocated by task 8355: kzalloc_noprof include/linux/slab.h:778 tipc_crypto_start+0xcc/0x9e0 net/tipc/crypto.c:1466 tipc_init_net+0x2dd/0x430 net/tipc/core.c:72 ops_init+0xb9/0x650 net/core/net_namespace.c:139 setup_net+0x435/0xb40 net/core/net_namespace.c:343 copy_net_ns+0x2f0/0x670 net/core/net_namespace.c:508 create_new_namespaces+0x3ea/0xb10 kernel/nsproxy.c:110 unshare_nsproxy_namespaces+0xc0/0x1f0 kernel/nsproxy.c:228 ksys_unshare+0x419/0x970 kernel/fork.c:3323 __do_sys_unshare kernel/fork.c:3394 Freed by task 63: kfree+0x12a/0x3b0 mm/slub.c:4557 tipc_crypto_stop+0x23c/0x500 net/tipc/crypto.c:1539 tipc_exit_net+0x8c/0x110 net/tipc/core.c:119 ops_exit_list+0xb0/0x180 net/core/net_namespace.c:173 cleanup_net+0x5b7/0xbf0 net/core/net_namespace.c:640 process_one_work+0x9fb/0x1b60 kernel/workqueue.c:3231 After freed the tipc_crypto tx by delete namespace, tipc_aead_encrypt_done may still visit it in cryptd_queue_worker workqueue. I reproduce this issue by: ip netns add ns1 ip link add veth1 type veth peer name veth2 ip link set veth1 netns ns1 ip netns exec ns1 tipc bearer enable media eth dev veth1 ip netns exec ns1 tipc node set key this_is_a_master_key master ip netns exec ns1 tipc bearer disable media eth dev veth1 ip netns del ns1 The key of reproduction is that, simd_aead_encrypt is interrupted, leading to crypto_simd_usable() return false. Thus, the cryptd_queue_worker is triggered, and the tipc_crypto tx will be visited. tipc_disc_timeout tipc_bearer_xmit_skb tipc_crypto_xmit tipc_aead_encrypt crypto_aead_encrypt // encrypt() simd_aead_encrypt // crypto_simd_usable() is false child = &ctx->cryptd_tfm->base; simd_aead_encrypt crypto_aead_encrypt // encrypt() cryptd_aead_encrypt_enqueue cryptd_aead_enqueue cryptd_enqueue_request // trigger cryptd_queue_worker queue_work_on(smp_processor_id(), cryptd_wq, &cpu_queue->work) Fix this by holding net reference count before encrypt.

• CWE-416Use After FreeThe product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.