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Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2025-38097

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: espintcp: remove encap socket caching to avoid reference leak The current scheme for caching the encap socket ca

Published Jul 3, 2025 · catalog updated Oct 15, 2026 · Linux Linux

Check if you run it

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2025-38097. EPSS is 0.20%. Act only if a listed version of Linux Linux is installed.

Gaps on this record

  • No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
Severity
High7.8
Known exploitation
Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
0.20%
Remediation
Advisory link
Affected products
cpe debian/debian linux · cpe linux/linux kernel · vendor Linux Linux patch: 6.15

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: espintcp: remove encap socket caching to avoid reference leak The current scheme for caching the encap socket can lead to reference leaks when we try to delete the netns. The reference chain is: xfrm_state -> enacp_sk -> netns Since the encap socket is a userspace socket, it holds a reference on the netns. If we delete the espintcp state (through flush or individual delete) before removing the netns, the reference on the socket is dropped and the netns is correctly deleted. Otherwise, the netns may not be reachable anymore (if all processes within the ns have terminated), so we cannot delete the xfrm state to drop its reference on the socket. This patch results in a small (~2% in my tests) performance regression. A GC-type mechanism could be added for the socket cache, to clear references if the state hasn't been used "recently", but it's a lot more complex than just not caching the socket.

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

  • cpe debian/debian linux11.0
  • cpe linux/linux kernel6.15
  • vendor Linux Linux patch: 6.15patch: 6.15

How to fix CVE-2025-38097

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

No confirmed exploitation is on record for CVE-2025-38097. EPSS is 0.20%. Act only if a listed version of Linux Linux is installed.

Which versions are affected?

Compare what you have installed with debian/debian linux 11.0; linux/linux kernel 6.15; Linux Linux patch: 6.15 patch: 6.15. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.

What should an analyst verify?

No weakness class is stored. EPSS 0.20%. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Jul 3, 2025 · NIST NVD

    Detected

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: espintcp: remove encap socket caching to avoid reference leak The current scheme for caching the encap socket can lead to reference leaks when we try to delete the netns. The reference chain is: xfrm_state -> enacp_sk -> netns Since the encap socket is a userspace socket, it holds a reference on the netns. If we delete the espintc

  2. Oct 15, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Updated

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: espintcp: remove encap socket caching to avoid reference leak The current scheme for caching the encap socket can lead to reference leaks when we try to delete the netns. The reference chain is: xfrm_state -> enacp_sk -> netns Since the encap socket is a userspace socket, it holds a reference on the netns. If we delete the espintc

Sources

  • CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2025-38097

    Official CVE identifier

    cve.org
  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2025-38097

    30-day exploitation probability 0.2%

    first.org
  • EUVDVulnerability recordEUVD-2025-19766

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: espintcp: remove encap socket caching to avoid reference leak The current scheme for caching the encap socket can lead to reference leaks when we try to delete the netns. The reference chain is: xfrm_state -> ena

    euvd.enisa.europa.eu
  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2025-38097

    In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: espintcp: remove encap socket caching to avoid reference leak The current scheme for caching the encap socket can lead to reference leaks when we try to delete the netns. The reference chain is: xfrm_state ->

    nvd.nist.gov

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 18, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.