Linux Kernel up to 6.12.30/6.14.8 core::fmt::write denial of service

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.30/6.14.8. This issue affects the function core::fmt::write. Performing a manipulation results in denial of service. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2025-38033. No exploit is available. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.30/6.14.8. It has been classified as critical. This affects the function core::fmt::write. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a denial of service vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-404. The product does not release or incorrectly releases a resource before it is made available for re-use. This is going to have an impact on availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: x86/Kconfig: make CFI_AUTO_DEFAULT depend on !RUST or Rust >= 1.88 Calling core::fmt::write() from rust code while FineIBT is enabled results in a kernel panic: [ 4614.199779] kernel BUG at arch/x86/kernel/cet.c:132! [ 4614.205343] Oops: invalid opcode: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP NOPTI [ 4614.211781] CPU: 2 UID: 0 PID: 6057 Comm: dmabuf_dump Tainted: G U O 6.12.17-android16-0-g6ab38c534a43 #1 9da040f27673ec3945e23b998a0f8bd64c846599 [ 4614.227832] Tainted: [U]=USER, [O]=OOT_MODULE [ 4614.241247] RIP: 0010:do_kernel_cp_fault+0xea/0xf0 ... [ 4614.398144] RIP: 0010:_RNvXs5_NtNtNtCs3o2tGsuHyou_4core3fmt3num3impyNtB9_7Display3fmt+0x0/0x20 [ 4614.407792] Code: 48 f7 df 48 0f 48 f9 48 89 f2 89 c6 5d e9 18 fd ff ff 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 f3 0f 1e fa 41 81 ea 14 61 af 2c 74 03 0f 0b 90 <66> 0f 1f 00 55 48 89 e5 48 89 f2 48 8b 3f be 01 00 00 00 5d e9 e7 [ 4614.428775] RSP: 0018:ffffb95acfa4ba68 EFLAGS: 00010246 [ 4614.434609] RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 0000000000000010 RCX: 0000000000000000 [ 4614.442587] RDX: 0000000000000007 RSI: ffffb95acfa4ba70 RDI: ffffb95acfa4bc88 [ 4614.450557] RBP: ffffb95acfa4bae0 R08: ffff0a00ffffff05 R09: 0000000000000070 [ 4614.458527] R10: 0000000000000000 R11: ffffffffab67eaf0 R12: ffffb95acfa4bcc8 [ 4614.466493] R13: ffffffffac5d50f0 R14: 0000000000000000 R15: 0000000000000000 [ 4614.474473] ? __cfi__RNvXs5_NtNtNtCs3o2tGsuHyou_4core3fmt3num3impyNtB9_7Display3fmt+0x10/0x10 [ 4614.484118] ? _RNvNtCs3o2tGsuHyou_4core3fmt5write+0x1d2/0x250 This happens because core::fmt::write() calls core::fmt::rt::Argument::fmt(), which currently has CFI disabled: library/core/src/fmt/rt.rs: 171 // FIXME: Transmuting formatter in new and indirectly branching to/calling 172 // it here is an explicit CFI violation. 173 #[allow(inline_no_sanitize)] 174 #[no_sanitize(cfi, kcfi)] 175 #[inline] 176 pub(super) unsafe fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> Result { This causes a Control Protection exception, because FineIBT has sealed off the original function's endbr64. This makes rust currently incompatible with FineIBT. Add a Kconfig dependency that prevents FineIBT from getting turned on by default if rust is enabled. [ Rust 1.88.0 (scheduled for 2025-06-26) should have this fixed [1], and thus we relaxed the condition with Rust >= 1.88. When `objtool` lands checking for this with e.g. [2], the plan is to ideally run that in upstream Rust's CI to prevent regressions early [3], since we do not control `core`'s source code. Alice tested the Rust PR backported to an older compiler. Peter would like that Rust provides a stable `core` which can be pulled into the kernel: "Relying on that much out of tree code is 'unfortunate'". - Miguel ] [ Reduced splat. - Miguel ]

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2025-38033 since 04/16/2025. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 242347 (Oracle Linux 9 : Unbreakable Enterprise kernel (ELSA-2025-20480)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.12.31 or 6.14.9 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 5a8d073d87da4ad1496b35adaee5719e94665d81/6b9956d09382bcbd5fd260c4b60ec48680a4cffb/5595c31c370957aabe739ac3996aedba8267603f 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 (242347) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1350). Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• SUSE openSUSE
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Dell Avamar
• Dell NetWorker
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway
• IBM QRadar SIEM

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
• 6.12.21
• 6.12.22
• 6.12.23
• 6.12.24
• 6.12.25
• 6.12.26
• 6.12.27
• 6.12.28
• 6.12.29
• 6.12.30
• 6.14.0
• 6.14.1
• 6.14.2
• 6.14.3
• 6.14.4
• 6.14.5
• 6.14.6
• 6.14.7
• 6.14.8

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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CVSSv4info

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Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

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