CVE-2025-38273
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: tipc: fix refcount warning in tipc_aead_encrypt syzbot reported a refcount warning [1] caused by calling get_net() on a network namespace that is being destroyed (refcount=0).
Does this matter?
Lower severity and a low EPSS score (0.18%). Track it; it rarely justifies an emergency change on its own.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: tipc: fix refcount warning in tipc_aead_encrypt syzbot reported a refcount warning [1] caused by calling get_net() on a network namespace that is being destroyed (refcount=0). This happens when a TIPC discovery timer fires during network namespace cleanup. The recently added get_net() call in commit e279024617134 ("net/tipc: fix slab-use-after-free Read in tipc_aead_encrypt_done") attempts to hold a reference to the network namespace. However, if the namespace is already being destroyed, its refcount might be zero, leading to the use-after-free warning. Replace get_net() with maybe_get_net(), which safely checks if the refcount is non-zero before incrementing it. If the namespace is being destroyed, return -ENODEV early, after releasing the bearer reference. [1]: https://lore.kernel.org/all/68342b55.a70a0220.253bc2.0091.GAE@google.com/T/#m12019cf9ae77e1954f666914640efa36d52704a2
- CVSS 3.1
- 5.5 MEDIUMCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- EPSS
- 0.18% probability · 8th percentile
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Affected
- linux/linux kernel · debian/debian linux
- Source
- 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/307391e8fe70401a6d39ecc9978e13c2c0cdf81fPatch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/445d59025d76d0638b03110f8791d5b89ed5162dPatch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9ff60e0d9974dccf24e89bcd3ee7933e538d929fPatch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/acab7ca5ff19889b80a8ee7dec220ee1a96dede9Patch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c762fc79d710d676b793f9d98b1414efe6eb51e6Patch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e0b11227c4e8eb4bdf1b86aa8f0f3abb24e0f029Patch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f29ccaa07cf3d35990f4d25028cc55470d29372bPatch
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00007.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00008.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA. Refreshed daily.