Vulnerability · Published Jul 28, 2025 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2025-38488smb: client: fix use-after-free in crypt_message when using async crypto

Critical 9.8

In plain English

A critical-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 0.8% (higher than 56% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS 3.1)9.8Critical
Exploit odds (30 days)0.8%top 44.1% of all CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo reportsnot in CISA KEV
Attack toolingNoneno public tooling known

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb: client: fix use-after-free in crypt_message when using async crypto The CVE-2024-50047 fix removed asynchronous crypto handling from crypt_message(), assuming all crypto operations are synchronous. However, when hardware crypto accelerators are used, this can cause use-after-free crashes: crypt_message() // Allocate the creq buffer containing the req creq = smb2_get_aead_req(..., &req); // Async encryption returns -EINPROGRESS immediately rc = enc ? crypto_aead_encrypt(req) : crypto_aead_decrypt(req); // Free creq while async operation is still in progress kvfree_sensitive(creq, ...); Hardware crypto modules often implement async AEAD operations for performance. When crypto_aead_encrypt/decrypt() returns -EINPROGRESS, the operation completes asynchronously. Without crypto_wait_req(), the function immediately frees the request buffer, leading to crashes when the driver later accesses the freed memory. This results in a use-after-free condition when the hardware crypto driver later accesses the freed request structure, leading to kernel crashes with NULL pointer dereferences. The issue occurs because crypto_alloc_aead() with mask=0 doesn't guarantee synchronous operation. Even without CRYPTO_ALG_ASYNC in the mask, async implementations can be selected. Fix by restoring the async crypto handling: - DECLARE_CRYPTO_WAIT(wait) for completion tracking - aead_request_set_callback() for async completion notification - crypto_wait_req() to wait for operation completion This ensures the request buffer isn't freed until the crypto operation completes, whether synchronous or asynchronous, while preserving the CVE-2024-50047 fix.

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:12linux6.1.147-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38488
Debian:13linux6.12.41-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38488
Debian:14linux6.16.3-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux5.15.0-163.173USN-7909-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux5.15.0-163.173UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux6.8.0-100.100UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws5.15.0-1097.104USN-7909-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws5.15.0-1097.104UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws6.8.0-1046.49UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.146.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.86.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure5.15.0-1101.110USN-7910-2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure5.15.0-1101.110UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure6.8.0-1046.52UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.146.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.86.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde5.15.0-1102.111.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde6.8.0-1046.53UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:25.10linux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.86.8.0-1046.53~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidia-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp5.15.0-1097.106USN-7909-4
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp5.15.0-1097.106UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp6.8.0-1047.50UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.146.14.0-1020.21~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.86.8.0-1047.50~22.04.2UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gke5.15.0-1093.99USN-7909-4
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gke5.15.0-1093.99UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gke6.8.0-1043.48UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeop5.15.0-1080.88USN-7909-4
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeop5.15.0-1080.88UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeop6.8.0-1030.33UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.86.8.0-100.100~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm5.15.0-1091.94USN-7909-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm5.15.0-1091.94UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-ibm6.8.0-1044.44UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm-6.86.8.0-1044.44~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-intelno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iotg5.15.0-1092.98UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iotg5.15.0-1092.98USN-7909-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-kvm5.15.0-1089.94UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-kvm5.15.0-1089.94USN-7933-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency5.15.0-163.173USN-7909-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency5.15.0-163.173UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency6.8.0-100.100.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.86.8.0-100.100.1~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia5.15.0-1092.93USN-7909-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia5.15.0-1092.93UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia6.8.0-1046.49UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.86.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-lowlatency6.8.0-1046.49.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra5.15.0-1049.49USN-7909-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra5.15.0-1049.49UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra6.8.0-1020.20UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra-igx5.15.0-1038.38UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra-igx5.15.0-1038.38USN-7909-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.146.14.0-1016.16UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle5.15.0-1094.100USN-7909-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle5.15.0-1094.100UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle6.8.0-1043.44UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.146.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.86.8.0-1043.44~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-raspi5.15.0-1091.94USN-7909-5
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-raspi5.15.0-1091.94UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi6.8.0-1047.51UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.146.14.0-36.36.1~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.86.8.0-100.100~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-xilinx6.8.0-1023.24UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-xilinx-zynqmp5.15.0-1061.65USN-7909-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-xilinx-zynqmp5.15.0-1061.65UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38488

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux 8f14a476abba13144df5434871a7225fd29af633 – before 5d047b12f86cc3b9fde1171c02d9bccf4dba0632ef51c0d544b1518b35364480317ab6d3468f205d – before 6550b2bef095d0dd2d2c8390d2ea4c3837028833bce966530fd5542bbb422cb45ecb775f7a1a6bc3 – before 9a1d3e8d40f151c2d5a5f40c410e6e433f62f4380809fb86ad13b29e1d6d491364fc7ea4fb545995 – before 15a0a5de49507062bc3be4014a403d8cea5533deb0abcd65ec545701b8793e12bc27dc98042b151a – before 2a76bc2b24ed889a689fb1c9015307bf16aafb5bb0abcd65ec545701b8793e12bc27dc98042b151a – before 8ac90f6824fc44d2e55a82503ddfc95defb19ae0b0abcd65ec545701b8793e12bc27dc98042b151a – before b220bed63330c0e1733dc06ea8e75d5b9962b6b6538c26d9bf70c90edc460d18c81008a4e555925a
Linux Linux 6.12

References