CVE-2025-32438

Local privilege escalation in make-initrd-ng

8.8 High

make-initrd-ng is a tool for copying binaries and their dependencies. Local privilege escalation affecting all NixOS users. With systemd.shutdownRamfs.enable enabled (the default) a local user is able to create a program that will be executed by root during shutdown. Patches exist for NixOS 24.11 and 25.05 / unstable. As a workaround, set systemd.shutdownRamfs.enable = false;.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector: Local
Complexity: Low
Privileges needed: Low
User interaction: None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

Exploit likelihood

0.19%Up 0.2 points since Apr 16, 2025

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 8.8

Local privilege escalation in make-initrd-ng

Record: CVE-2025-32438
CVSS 3.1: 8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-378, CWE-379
Updated: 2026-11-02

EUVDEUVD-2025-10983 8.8

Record: EUVD-2025-10983
CVSS 3.1: 8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated: 2026-11-02

NVD 8.8

Record: CVE-2025-32438
CVSS 3.1: 8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-378, CWE-379
Updated: 2026-11-02

OSV 8.8

Local privilege escalation in make-initrd-ng

Record: CVE-2025-32438
CVSS 3.1: 8.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness: CWE-378, CWE-379
Updated: 2026-11-02

Affected products

nixos nixpkgs

History

History
Recorded	Changed	Sources
Nov 2, 2026	first indexed	CVE List, EUVD, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2025-32438 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.8) in Nixos Nixpkgs, published April 15, 2025. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.19%, the 8th percentile. No source names a fixed version.