CVE-2025-38499

Medium

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: clone_private_mnt(): make sure that caller has CAP_SYS_ADMIN in the right userns What we want is to verify there is that clone won't expose something hidden by a mount we wouldn't be able to undo. "Wouldn't be able to undo" may be a result of MNT_LOCKED on a child, but it may also come from lacking admin rights in the userns of the namespace mount belongs to. clone_private_mnt() checks the former, but not the latter. There's a number of rather confusing CAP_SYS_ADMIN checks in various userns during the mount, especially with the new mount API; they serve different purposes and in case of clone_private_mnt() they usually, but not always end up covering the missing check mentioned above.

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2025-08-11
Last modified 2026-05-12
CVSS version 3.1
Patch available
Yes

CVSS 3.1 score

5.5

out of 10
Medium
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Vector string
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Affected versions

Linux kernel versions 4.4.281, 4.9.280, 4.14.244, 4.19.204, 5.4.141, 5.10.59, 5.13.11, 5.14 and later are affected. Fixed in 5.15.190, 6.1.147, 6.6.100, 6.12.40, 6.15.3, 6.16 and their respective stable series.

Affected from
≥ 4.4.281 ≥ 4.9.280 ≥ 4.14.244 ≥ 4.19.204 ≥ 5.4.141 ≥ 5.10.59 ≥ 5.13.11 ≥ 5.14
Fixed in
✓ 5.15.190 5.15.x ✓ 6.1.147 6.1.x ✓ 6.6.100 6.6.x ✓ 6.12.40 6.12.x ✓ 6.15.3 6.15.x ✓ 6.16

References

The following references provide additional information about CVE-2025-38499 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.

6 patch commits total View all on NVD

Frequently asked questions

  • What is CVE-2025-38499?

    CVE-2025-38499 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10 . It affects Linux kernel versions from 4.4.281 onward and has been patched in 5.15.190, 6.1.147, 6.6.100 and others. CVE-2025-38499 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • What is the CVSS score for CVE-2025-38499?

    CVE-2025-38499 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H .

  • Is there a patch available for CVE-2025-38499?

    Yes — CVE-2025-38499 has been patched. Fixed versions include 5.15.190, 6.1.147, 6.6.100 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 4.4.281 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

  • Is CVE-2025-38499 actively exploited?

    No — CVE-2025-38499 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.

Back to
All CVEs
View on
NVD / NIST