---
id: CVE-2025-38466
title: >-
  kernel: Linux kernel: Denial of Service in uprobes due to improper instruction
  validation (CVE-2025-38466)
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's uprobes functionality. A local attacker
  with elevated privileges could exploit this vulnerability by using uprobes
  destructively in the middle of an instruction. This is possible because the
  kernel in…
severity: medium
cvss: 4.4
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
cvssSource: vendor
cwe: CWE-266
vendor: Red Hat
product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
affected:
  - enterprise_linux 10
  - enterprise_linux 8
  - enterprise_linux 9
published: '2025-07-25'
updated: '2026-10-16'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-16T22:55:55+00:00'
source: CSAF
sourceUrl: 'https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2025/cve-2025-38466.json'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2025/cve-2025-38466.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-38466'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2383482'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38466'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38466'
  - url: >-
      https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/2025072508-CVE-2025-38466-11e8@gregkh/T
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d7ef1afd5b3f43f4924326164cee5397b66abd9c'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c0aec35f861fa746ca45aa816161c74352e6ada8'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8e8bf7bc6aa6f583336c2fda280b6cea0aed5612'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/183bdb89af1b5193b1d1d9316986053b15ca6fa4'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a0a8009083e569b5526c64f7d3f2a62baca95164'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d5074256b642cdeb46a70ce2f15193e766edca68'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ba677dbe77af5ffe6204e0f3f547f3ba059c6302'
tags:
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
  - score-dispute
epss: 0.00217
epssPercentile: 0.11522
ssvc:
  exploitation: none
  automatable: 'no'
  technicalImpact: total
  timestamp: '2026-10-15T21:50:41.107124Z'
scores:
  vendor: 4.4
  cna: 7.8
ingestedAt: '2026-10-15T05:52:46.087Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's uprobes functionality. A local attacker with elevated privileges could exploit this vulnerability by using uprobes destructively in the middle of an instruction. This is possible because the kernel incorrectly validates instructions, potentially mistaking data for executable code on some architectures. Successful exploitation could lead to a denial of service (DoS) on the affected system.

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 · updated 2026-10-16 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2025/cve-2025-38466.json)

**kernel: Linux kernel: Denial of Service in uprobes due to improper instruction validation** — rated Moderate by Red Hat. Released 2025-07-25, updated 2026-10-16.

Affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9

No fix planned:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9

Not affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7

## Remediation

Fix deferred

Workarounds / mitigations:

- Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base, or stability.