Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-38699

Memory Safety in Linux Kernel 2.6.33 – 5.4.297

Published
04 September 2025
Modified
17 June 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0017 6th percentile
Risk Priority 55 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2025-38699 is a high-severity Double Free (CWE-415) vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).

Operationally, ranked at the 6th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SA-15 (Development Process, Standards, and Tools) and SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: scsi: bfa: Double-free fix When the bfad_im_probe() function fails during initialization, the memory pointed to by bfad->im is freed without setting bfad->im to NULL. Subsequently, during driver uninstallation, when the…

more

state machine enters the bfad_sm_stopping state and calls the bfad_im_probe_undo() function, it attempts to free the memory pointed to by bfad->im again, thereby triggering a double-free vulnerability. Set bfad->im to NULL if probing fails.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-52691Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2024-49882Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2024-36940Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2025-38313Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2025-39914Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2025-39870Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2024-26846Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2024-41073Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2024-49989Same product: Debian Debian Linux
CVE-2024-35847Same product: Debian Debian Linux

Affected Assets

linux
linux kernel
2.6.32 · 2.6.33 — 5.4.297 · 5.5 — 5.10.241 · 5.11 — 5.15.190
debian
debian linux
11.0

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)
  • SA-15 Development Process, Standards, and Tools
  • SA-11 Developer Testing and Evaluation
Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)
  • SI-2 Flaw Remediation
Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 1 hardening rule · 1 OS baseline
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

prevent

Requires use of secure development processes and tools that enforce proper pointer/memory management and error paths, directly preventing the missing NULL assignment after free in bfad_im_probe().

prevent

Mandates developer testing and evaluation that would exercise failure paths in bfad_im_probe() and detect the subsequent double-free in bfad_im_probe_undo().

respond

Requires timely identification and remediation of the CWE-415 flaw via kernel patch application before the vulnerable BFA driver can be exploited.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 full match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices directly prevent double-free errors via static analysis, safe memory APIs, and testing.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

detects

Security testing in development can detect double-free conditions before release.

prevents

Secure development life cycle includes memory-safety practices that can prevent double-free bugs.

prevents

Application security requirements can mandate memory-safety rules that reduce double-free risk.

prevents

Secure system architecture and engineering principles can prescribe safe memory-management patterns.

prevents

Secure coding standards directly address proper use of free() and similar functions.

References