Vulnerability · Published May 20, 2025 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2025-37938tracing: Verify event formats that have "%*p.."

High 7.1

In plain English

A high-severity security flaw in Linux from Linux. There are no confirmed reports of exploitation so far. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.2% (higher than 11% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS 3.1)7.1High
Exploit odds (30 days)0.2%top 89.3% of all CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo reportsCISA SSVC: none
Attack toolingNoneno public tooling known

Official 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 packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:12linux6.1.137-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-37938
Debian:13linux6.12.27-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-37938
Debian:14linux6.12.27-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinuxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux6.8.0-100.100UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-awsno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws6.8.0-1046.49UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.86.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azureno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure6.8.0-1046.52UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.86.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde6.8.0-1046.53UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:25.10linux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.86.8.0-1046.53~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp6.8.0-1047.50UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.86.8.0-1047.50~22.04.2UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gke6.8.0-1043.48UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeopno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeop6.8.0-1030.33UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.86.8.0-100.100~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-ibm6.8.0-1044.44UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm-6.86.8.0-1044.44~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-intelno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iotgno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-kvmno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatencyno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency6.8.0-100.100.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.86.8.0-100.100.1~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia6.8.0-1046.49UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.86.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-lowlatency6.8.0-1046.49.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegrano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra6.8.0-1020.20UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra-igxno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracleno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle6.8.0-1043.44UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.86.8.0-1043.44~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-raspino fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi6.8.0-1047.51UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.86.8.0-100.100~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-xilinx6.8.0-1023.24UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-xilinx-zynqmpno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-37938

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux 5013f454a352cce8e62162976026a9c472595e42 – before 6854c87ac823181c810f8c07489ba543260c00235013f454a352cce8e62162976026a9c472595e42 – before 4d11fac941d83509be4e6a21038281d6d96da50c5013f454a352cce8e62162976026a9c472595e42 – before 03127354027508d076073b020d3070990fd6a9585013f454a352cce8e62162976026a9c472595e42 – before 04b80d45ecfaf780981d6582899e3ab205e4aa085013f454a352cce8e62162976026a9c472595e42 – before c7204fd1758c0caf1938e8a59809a1fdf28a81145013f454a352cce8e62162976026a9c472595e42 – before ea8d7647f9ddf1f81e2027ed305299797299aa03
Linux Linux 5.13

References