CVE-2025-38318 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 07/10/2025
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
perf: arm-ni: Fix missing platform_set_drvdata()
Add missing platform_set_drvdata in arm_ni_probe(), otherwise calling platform_get_drvdata() in remove returns NULL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2025-38318 represents a critical resource management flaw within the Linux kernel's performance monitoring subsystem, specifically affecting the arm-ni driver implementation. This issue resides in the perf subsystem which provides performance monitoring capabilities for various hardware platforms including ARM processors. The vulnerability stems from improper device driver data handling during the probe phase of device initialization, creating a fundamental inconsistency in how driver data is managed across the device lifecycle. The arm-ni driver is responsible for handling performance monitoring units on certain ARM-based systems, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for embedded and mobile computing environments where such performance monitoring is extensively utilized.
The technical flaw manifests as a missing call to platform_set_drvdata() function within the arm_ni_probe() function implementation. This omission creates a direct contradiction in the driver's data management approach where data is stored during probe operations but cannot be retrieved during removal operations. When platform_get_drvdata() is invoked during the remove callback, it returns NULL instead of the expected driver data structure, leading to potential null pointer dereferences and system instability. This pattern violates fundamental kernel driver development practices and represents a classic resource management error that can lead to various operational failures including system crashes, data corruption, or denial of service conditions. The issue is categorized under CWE-459 as incomplete cleanup, specifically manifesting as improper resource management during device driver lifecycle operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple functional failures to potentially compromise system stability and security. When the arm-ni driver encounters a removal operation, the failure to properly retrieve driver data can cause cascading failures in the performance monitoring infrastructure, potentially affecting other subsystems that depend on consistent driver behavior. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in production environments where performance monitoring data is critical for system optimization and security analysis. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness to cause system instability or create conditions that facilitate more sophisticated attacks by leveraging the resulting system crashes or resource exhaustion. The vulnerability affects systems using ARM-based processors with performance monitoring units, making it relevant to a wide range of embedded devices, servers, and mobile platforms that rely on Linux kernel performance monitoring capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-38318 require immediate kernel updates from vendors who have patched this specific issue in their kernel releases. System administrators should prioritize applying the relevant security patches that include the proper platform_set_drvdata() call in the arm_ni_probe() function. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual performance monitoring subsystem behavior that might indicate this vulnerability's exploitation. The fix implements proper data association between the platform device and driver data structures, ensuring that platform_get_drvdata() calls during removal operations return valid data rather than NULL values. Organizations should also conduct thorough testing of their performance monitoring infrastructure after applying patches to verify that no regressions have occurred in the driver's functionality. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of adhering to established kernel driver development practices and proper resource management techniques that align with the ATT&CK framework's system binary exploitation categories, where improper resource handling can lead to privilege escalation or system compromise conditions.