CVE-2025-38678: netfilter: nf_tables: reject duplicate device on updates

mediumCVSS 6CVE-2025-38678

CSIRTS triage

vendor: Linux product: netfilter Denial of service

What: netfilter nf_tables fails to reject duplicate devices on rule updates, causing processing errors.
Who is affected: Linux systems using nf_tables for firewall configuration.
Urgency: Medium priority; unexloited denial of service affecting network rule processing.
Action: Apply kernel patches addressing nf_tables device validation.

AI-assisted analysis generated from the source advisory — verify against the original.

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Details

Source: Microsoft Security Response Center (INTL · vendor-psirt · site)
Severity: medium — CVSS 6
Published: 2026-08-06
Exploitation: Not in CISA KEV at last sync

Original advisory: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-38678

Exploitation outlook

EPSS (FIRST.org) estimates each CVE’s probability of exploitation in the next 30 days — here is the CSIRTS.com read on those numbers.

Low exploitation riskCVE-2025-386780.27% 30-day exploitation probability — currently an unlikely target, but scores change as exploit code circulates. Riskier than 19% of all EPSS-scored CVEs.

Referenced CVEs

CVE	CSIRTS overview	External
CVE-2025-38678	coverage & exploitation status	NVD · CVE.org

Recent advisories for netfilter

A cluster of recent advisories against the same product widens the attack surface — attackers routinely chain freshly published CVEs on one product, so review these together.

highCVE-2026-74695: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_flow_table: …nvd · 2026-08-22
highCVE-2026-74660: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: ebt_nflog: pin …nvd · 2026-08-22
highCVE-2026-74625: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: bridge: release…nvd · 2026-08-22
highCVE-2026-74624: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_conntrack: d…nvd · 2026-08-22
unknownCVE-2026-74579: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nft_payload: fi…nvd · 2026-08-17
criticalCVE-2026-74569: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: nf_conntrack_si…nvd · 2026-08-15