Linux Kernel up to 6.12.20/6.13.8 xa_alloc_cyclic null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability categorized as critical has been discovered in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.20/6.13.8. This issue affects the function xa_alloc_cyclic. The manipulation results in null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2025-22017. No exploit is available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.20/6.13.8. Affected is the function xa_alloc_cyclic. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. This is going to have an impact on availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: devlink: fix xa_alloc_cyclic() error handling In case of returning 1 from xa_alloc_cyclic() (wrapping) ERR_PTR(1) will be returned, which will cause IS_ERR() to be false. Which can lead to dereference not allocated pointer (rel). Fix it by checking if err is lower than zero. This wasn't found in real usecase, only noticed. Credit to Pierre.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2025-22017 since 12/29/2024. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 237088 (SUSE SLED15 / SLES15 / openSUSE 15 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:01614-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.12.21 or 6.13.9 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch f8aaa38cfaf6f20afa4db36b6529032fb69165dc/466132f6d28a7e47a82501fe1c46b8f90487412e/f3b97b7d4bf316c3991e5634c9f4847c2df35478 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (237088) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-0732). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• SolarWinds Security Event Manager

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1
• 6.12.2
• 6.12.3
• 6.12.4
• 6.12.5
• 6.12.6
• 6.12.7
• 6.12.8
• 6.12.9
• 6.12.10
• 6.12.11
• 6.12.12
• 6.12.13
• 6.12.14
• 6.12.15
• 6.12.16
• 6.12.17
• 6.12.18
• 6.12.19
• 6.12.20
• 6.13.0
• 6.13.1
• 6.13.2
• 6.13.3
• 6.13.4
• 6.13.5
• 6.13.6
• 6.13.7
• 6.13.8

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Entryinfo

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

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