CVE-2025-40251: devlink: rate: Unset parent pointer in devl_rate_nodes_destroy

criticalCVSS 9.8CVE-2025-40251

CSIRTS triage

vendor: Linux product: Linux Kernel Memory corruption

What: A failure to unset parent pointers in devlink rate node destruction leads to use-after-free or memory corruption.
Who is affected: Systems running Linux kernel with network device rate limiting (devlink) configured.
Urgency: Critical; CVSS 9.8 indicates high severity; unset pointers in cleanup code can cause privilege escalation or code execution.
Action: Update to a patched Linux kernel version addressing CVE-2025-40251 immediately.

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: critical — CVSS 9.8
Published: 2026-08-06
Exploitation: Not in CISA KEV at last sync

Original advisory: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-40251

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-2025-402510.15% 30-day exploitation probability — currently an unlikely target, but scores change as exploit code circulates. Riskier than 5% of all EPSS-scored CVEs.

Referenced CVEs

CVE	CSIRTS overview	External
CVE-2025-40251	coverage & exploitation status	NVD · CVE.org

Same CVEs, other sources

How other CERTs, PSIRTs and databases cover the vulnerabilities in this advisory.

high[UPDATE] [high] Linux Kernel: Multiple vulnerabilities allow denial of servicecert-bund
criticalSiemens SINEC OScisa

Recent advisories for devlink

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.

unknownCVE-2026-74718: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: devlink: fix net namespace…nvd · 2026-08-22
highCVE-2026-72410: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: octeontx2-af: Validate NIX…nvd · 2026-08-15
mediumCVE-2026-74718: devlink: fix net namespace reference leak in reloadmsrc · 2026-08-11
mediumCVE-2024-38595: net/mlx5: Fix peer devlink set for SF representor devlink portmsrc · 2026-08-06