Vulnerability · Published Jul 25, 2025 · Assigned by Linux
CVE-2025-38396fs: export anon_inode_make_secure_inode() and fix secretmem LSM bypass
High 7.8
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 10% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs: export anon_inode_make_secure_inode() and fix secretmem LSM bypass Export anon_inode_make_secure_inode() to allow KVM guest_memfd to create anonymous inodes with proper security context. This replaces the current pattern of calling alloc_anon_inode() followed by inode_init_security_anon() for creating security context manually. This change also fixes a security regression in secretmem where the S_PRIVATE flag was not cleared after alloc_anon_inode(), causing LSM/SELinux checks to be bypassed for secretmem file descriptors. As guest_memfd currently resides in the KVM module, we need to export this symbol for use outside the core kernel. In the future, guest_memfd might be moved to core-mm, at which point the symbols no longer would have to be exported. When/if that happens is still unclear.
Affected packages & fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlmaLinux:10 | kernel-abi-stablelists | 6.12.0-55.37.1.el10_0 | ALSA-2025:16904 |
| AlmaLinux:10 | kernel-doc | 6.12.0-55.37.1.el10_0 | ALSA-2025:16904 |
| Debian:12 | linux | 6.1.147-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Debian:13 | linux | 6.12.37-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Debian:14 | linux | 6.12.37-1 | DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Rocky Linux:10 | kernel | 0:6.12.0-55.37.1.el10_0 | RLSA-2025:16904 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux | 6.8.0-100.100 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-allwinner-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-aws | 6.8.0-1046.49 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.14 | 6.14.0-1015.15~24.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.8 | 6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure | 6.8.0-1046.52 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.14 | 6.14.0-1014.14~24.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.8 | 6.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde | 6.8.0-1046.53 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:25.10 | linux-azure-fde | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.8 | 6.8.0-1046.53~22.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-nvidia | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-nvidia-6.14 | 6.14.0-1007.7 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp | 6.8.0-1047.50 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.14 | 6.14.0-1018.19~24.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.8 | 6.8.0-1047.50~22.04.2 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gke | 6.8.0-1043.48 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gkeop | 6.8.0-1030.33 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.8 | 6.8.0-100.100~22.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-ibm | 6.8.0-1044.44 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-ibm-6.8 | 6.8.0-1044.44~22.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-intel | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iot-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency | 6.8.0-100.100.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 | 6.8.0-100.100.1~22.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-nvidia | 6.8.0-1046.49 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.8 | 6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-lowlatency | 6.8.0-1046.49.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-tegra | 6.8.0-1020.20 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-5.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.1 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.14 | 6.14.0-1014.14 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.8 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oracle | 6.8.0-1043.44 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.14 | 6.14.0-1015.15~24.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.8 | 6.8.0-1043.44~22.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-raspi | 6.8.0-1047.51 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.14 | 6.14.0-34.34.1~24.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.8 | 6.8.0-100.100~22.04.1 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-xilinx | 6.8.0-1023.24 | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38396 |
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 2bfe15c5261212130f1a71f32a300bcf426443d4 – before 66d29d757c968d2bee9124816da5d718eb3529592bfe15c5261212130f1a71f32a300bcf426443d4 – before e3eed01347721cd7a8819568161c91d538fbf2292bfe15c5261212130f1a71f32a300bcf426443d4 – before f94c422157f3e43dd31990567b3e5d54b3e5b32b2bfe15c5261212130f1a71f32a300bcf426443d4 – before 6ca45ea48530332a4ba09595767bd26d3232743b2bfe15c5261212130f1a71f32a300bcf426443d4 – before cbe4134ea4bc493239786220bd69cb8a13493190 |
| Linux | Linux | 6.0 |
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/66d29d757c968d2bee9124816da5d718eb352959
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e3eed01347721cd7a8819568161c91d538fbf229
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f94c422157f3e43dd31990567b3e5d54b3e5b32b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6ca45ea48530332a4ba09595767bd26d3232743b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cbe4134ea4bc493239786220bd69cb8a13493190
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00008.html