CVE-2025-38097: espintcp: remove encap socket caching to avoid reference leak
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2025-38097 is a high (CVSS 7.8) vulnerability in debian debian_linux. EPSS estimates a 0.20% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 9.9% of scored vulnerabilities.
Not severe (CVSS 7.8, local access); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources
Source freshness unavailable
How is this decided?Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 38 · Related 34Timeline
- 03-07-2025PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 15-10-2026Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: espintcp: remove encap socket caching to avoid reference leak The current scheme for caching the encap socket can lead to reference leaks when we try to delete the netns. The reference chain is: xfrm_state -> enacp_sk -> netns Since the encap socket is a userspace socket, it holds a reference on the netns. If we delete the espintcp state (through flush or individual delete) before removing the netns, the reference on the socket is dropped and the netns is correctly deleted. Otherwise, the netns may not be reachable anymore (if all processes within the ns have terminated), so we cannot delete the xfrm state to drop its reference on the socket. This patch results in a small (~2% in my tests) performance regression. A GC-type mechanism could be added for the socket cache, to clear references if the state hasn't been used "recently", but it's a lot more complex than just not caching the socket.
CVSS metrics
5 scores · 4 sources · 2 versions- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated7.8HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- OSV · DebianEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HDiffers
- NVDNIST5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HDiffers
EPSS trend
Probability
0.20%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
10%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
No change 0.00 pp
From 0.20% on 04-10-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEVNot in the CISA KEV catalog.
ENISA CNWNot in the ENISA CNW catalog.
CIRCLNot in the CIRCL catalog.
Public exploits
0 foundNo public exploits indexed.
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeNo weakness data has been published for this record.
Affected systems
Known conditions: local access, low-privilege account, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.
Ubuntu134 products
- linuxAll versions (No fix recorded) | < 6.8.0-100.100
- linux-allwinner-5.19All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-awsAll versions (No fix recorded) | < 6.8.0-1046.49
- linux-aws-5.0All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-aws-5.11All versions (No fix recorded)
Debian2 products
- linux< 6.1.147-1 | < 6.12.32-1
- debian_linuxEOL11.0
Linux2 products
- linux≥ e27cca96cd68fa2c6814c90f9a1cfd36bb68c593, < e32bafd08ee35feacd47b05cc5bfe9cd9659cd25 | ≥ e27cca96cd68fa2c6814c90f9a1cfd36bb68c593, < 9673ca00e6c5503069dc98780e2e89db0e663c16 | ≥ e27cca96cd68fa2c6814c90f9a1cfd36bb68c593, < e4cde54b46a87231c77256a633be1bef62687d69 | ≥ e27cca96cd68fa2c6814c90f9a1cfd36bb68c593, < b58a295d10065960bcb9d60cb8ca6ead9837cd27 | ≥ e27cca96cd68fa2c6814c90f9a1cfd36bb68c593, < 9cbca30102028f9ad3d2098f935c4368f581fd07 | ≥ e27cca96cd68fa2c6814c90f9a1cfd36bb68c593, < 74fd327767fb784c5875cf7c4ba1217f26020943 | ≥ e27cca96cd68fa2c6814c90f9a1cfd36bb68c593, < 028363685bd0b7a19b4a820f82dd905b1dc83999 | 5.6
- linux_kernel≥ 5.6, < 6.1.141 | ≥ 6.2, < 6.6.93 | ≥ 6.7, < 6.12.31 | ≥ 6.13, < 6.14.9 | 6.15:rc1 | 6.15:rc2 | 6.15:rc3 | 6.15:rc4 | 6.15:rc5 | 6.15:rc6 | 6.15:rc7
3 vendors · 138 products
