What is CVE-2025-38678?

CVE-2025-38678 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux. CVSS score: 7.8/10. Published 2025-09-03.

How severe is CVE-2025-38678?

High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 7.8 out of 10.

Is CVE-2025-38678 known to be exploited?

1 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Vulnerability in Linux

CVE-2025-38678

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_tables: reject duplicate device on updates A chain/flowtable update with duplicated devices in the same batch is possible. Unfortunately, netdev event path only removes the first device that is found, leaving unregistered the hook of the duplicated device. Check if a duplicated device exists in the transaction batch, bail out with EEXIST in such case. WARNING is hit when unregistering the hook: [49042.221275] WARNING: CPU: 4 PID: 8425 at net/netfilter/core.c:340 nf_hook_entry_head+0xaa/0x150 [49042.221375] CPU: 4 UID: 0 PID: 8425 Comm: nft Tainted: G S 6.16.0+ #170 PREEMPT(full) [...] [49042.221382] RIP: 0010:nf_hook_entry_head+0xaa/0x150

EPSS: 0.002 (13.9th percentile) — read the EPSS interpretation.

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 7.8 (High). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

Affected products

Linux — versions 78d9f48f7f44431a25da2b46b3a8812f6ff2b981, 5.8, 0
Linux Linux_kernel — versions 6.17

Public proof-of-concept exploits

guard-wait/CVE-2025-38678_POC

References

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2025-38678?: CVE-2025-38678 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux. CVSS score: 7.8/10. Published 2025-09-03.
How severe is CVE-2025-38678?: High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 7.8 out of 10.
Is CVE-2025-38678 known to be exploited?: 1 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.