Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: watch_queue: fix pipe...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
watch_queue: fix pipe accounting mismatch
Currently, watch_queue_set_size() modifies the pipe buffers charged to
user->pipe_bufs without updating the pipe->nr_accounted on the pipe
itself, due to the if (!pipe_has_watch_queue()) test in
pipe_resize_ring(). This means that when the pipe is ultimately freed,
we decrement user->pipe_bufs by something other than what than we had
charged to it, potentially leading to an underflow. This in turn can
cause subsequent too_many_pipe_buffers_soft() tests to fail with -EPERM.
To remedy this, explicitly account for the pipe usage in
watch_queue_set_size() to match the number set via account_pipe_buffers()
(It's unclear why watch_queue_set_size() does not update nr_accounted;
it may be due to intentional overprovisioning in watch_queue_set_size()?)
Impact
CVE-2025-23138 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. No fixed version is listed yet, so configuration controls and monitoring matter more in the interim.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-23138? CVE-2025-23138 is a medium-severity security vulnerability. No fixed version is listed yet.
- How severe is CVE-2025-23138? CVE-2025-23138 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-23138? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-23138 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-23138 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-23138 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2025-23138 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.