Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sctp: linearize cloned gso...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
sctp: linearize cloned gso packets in sctp_rcv
A cloned head skb still shares these frag skbs in fraglist with the
original head skb. It's not safe to access these frag skbs.
syzbot reported two use-of-uninitialized-memory bugs caused by this:
BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in sctp_inq_pop+0x15b7/0x1920 net/sctp/inqueue.c:211
sctp_inq_pop+0x15b7/0x1920 net/sctp/inqueue.c:211
sctp_assoc_bh_rcv+0x1a7/0xc50 net/sctp/associola.c:998
sctp_inq_push+0x2ef/0x380 net/sctp/inqueue.c:88
sctp_backlog_rcv+0x397/0xdb0 net/sctp/input.c:331
sk_backlog_rcv+0x13b/0x420 include/net/sock.h:1122
__release_sock+0x1da/0x330 net/core/sock.c:3106
release_sock+0x6b/0x250 net/core/sock.c:3660
sctp_wait_for_connect+0x487/0x820 net/sctp/socket.c:9360
sctp_sendmsg_to_asoc+0x1ec1/0x1f00 net/sctp/socket.c:1885
sctp_sendmsg+0x32b9/0x4a80 net/sctp/socket.c:2031
inet_sendmsg+0x25a/0x280 net/ipv4/af_inet.c:851
sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:718 [inline]
and
BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in sctp_assoc_bh_rcv+0x34e/0xbc0 net/sctp/associola.c:987
sctp_assoc_bh_rcv+0x34e/0xbc0 net/sctp/associola.c:987
sctp_inq_push+0x2a3/0x350 net/sctp/inqueue.c:88
sctp_backlog_rcv+0x3c7/0xda0 net/sctp/input.c:331
sk_backlog_rcv+0x142/0x420 include/net/sock.h:1148
__release_sock+0x1d3/0x330 net/core/sock.c:3213
release_sock+0x6b/0x270 net/core/sock.c:3767
sctp_wait_for_connect+0x458/0x820 net/sctp/socket.c:9367
sctp_sendmsg_to_asoc+0x223a/0x2260 net/sctp/socket.c:1886
sctp_sendmsg+0x3910/0x49f0 net/sctp/socket.c:2032
inet_sendmsg+0x269/0x2a0 net/ipv4/af_inet.c:851
sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:712 [inline]
This patch fixes it by linearizing cloned gso packets in sctp_rcv().
Impact
CVE-2025-38718 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (High). 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-2025-38718? CVE-2025-38718 is a high-severity security vulnerability. No fixed version is listed yet.
- How severe is CVE-2025-38718? CVE-2025-38718 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (High). 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-2025-38718? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-38718 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-38718 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-38718 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-2025-38718 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.