Linux Kernel up to 6.15.2 gve_alloc_pending_packet null pointer dereference

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5.5	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.185/6.1.141/6.6.93/6.12.33/6.15.2. It has been rated as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is the function gve_alloc_pending_packet. The manipulation leads to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2025-38122. There is no exploit available. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.185/6.1.141/6.6.93/6.12.33/6.15.2 and classified as critical. This issue affects the function gve_alloc_pending_packet. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to 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. Impacted is availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: gve: add missing NULL check for gve_alloc_pending_packet() in TX DQO gve_alloc_pending_packet() can return NULL, but gve_tx_add_skb_dqo() did not check for this case before dereferencing the returned pointer. Add a missing NULL check to prevent a potential NULL pointer dereference when allocation fails. This improves robustness in low-memory scenarios.

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2025-38122 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 248399 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-38122), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.15.186, 6.1.142, 6.6.94, 6.12.34, 6.15.3 or 6.16-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch ae98a1787fdcb0096d122bc80d93c3c7d812c04b/2e5ead9e4e91fbe7799bd38afd8904543be1cb51/7f6265fce3bd424ded666481b37f106d7915fb6b/a0319c9b1648a67511e947a596ca86888451c0a7/c741a7ef68023ac800054e2131c3e22e647fd7e3/12c331b29c7397ac3b03584e12902990693bc248 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 (248399), EUVD (EUVD-2025-19821) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1452). Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Affected

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

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.15.185
• 6.1.141
• 6.6.0
• 6.6.1
• 6.6.2
• 6.6.3
• 6.6.4
• 6.6.5
• 6.6.6
• 6.6.7
• 6.6.8
• 6.6.9
• 6.6.10
• 6.6.11
• 6.6.12
• 6.6.13
• 6.6.14
• 6.6.15
• 6.6.16
• 6.6.17
• 6.6.18
• 6.6.19
• 6.6.20
• 6.6.21
• 6.6.22
• 6.6.23
• 6.6.24
• 6.6.25
• 6.6.26
• 6.6.27
• 6.6.28
• 6.6.29
• 6.6.30
• 6.6.31
• 6.6.32
• 6.6.33
• 6.6.34
• 6.6.35
• 6.6.36
• 6.6.37
• 6.6.38
• 6.6.39
• 6.6.40
• 6.6.41
• 6.6.42
• 6.6.43
• 6.6.44
• 6.6.45
• 6.6.46
• 6.6.47
• 6.6.48
• 6.6.49
• 6.6.50
• 6.6.51
• 6.6.52
• 6.6.53
• 6.6.54
• 6.6.55
• 6.6.56
• 6.6.57
• 6.6.58
• 6.6.59
• 6.6.60
• 6.6.61
• 6.6.62
• 6.6.63
• 6.6.64
• 6.6.65
• 6.6.66
• 6.6.67
• 6.6.68
• 6.6.69
• 6.6.70
• 6.6.71
• 6.6.72
• 6.6.73
• 6.6.74
• 6.6.75
• 6.6.76
• 6.6.77
• 6.6.78
• 6.6.79
• 6.6.80
• 6.6.81
• 6.6.82
• 6.6.83
• 6.6.84
• 6.6.85
• 6.6.86
• 6.6.87
• 6.6.88
• 6.6.89
• 6.6.90
• 6.6.91
• 6.6.92
• 6.6.93
• 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
• 6.12.31
• 6.12.32
• 6.12.33
• 6.15.0
• 6.15.1
• 6.15.2

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.6
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.5

VulDB Base Score: 5.7
VulDB Temp Score: 5.5
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.5
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Null pointer dereference
CWE: CWE-476 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

Nessus ID: 248399
Nessus Name: Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-38122

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 5.15.186/6.1.142/6.6.94/6.12.34/6.15.3/6.16-rc1
Patch: ae98a1787fdcb0096d122bc80d93c3c7d812c04b/2e5ead9e4e91fbe7799bd38afd8904543be1cb51/7f6265fce3bd424ded666481b37f106d7915fb6b/a0319c9b1648a67511e947a596ca86888451c0a7/c741a7ef68023ac800054e2131c3e22e647fd7e3/12c331b29c7397ac3b03584e12902990693bc248

Timelineinfo

04/16/2025 CVE reserved
07/03/2025 +78 days Advisory disclosed
07/03/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
04/18/2026 +288 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2025-38122 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2025-38122
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-314699
EUVD: 🔒
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-1452 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 07/03/2025 11:42
Updated: 04/18/2026 00:34
Changes: 07/03/2025 11:42 (58), 07/03/2025 14:39 (1), 08/12/2025 11:56 (2), 08/23/2025 18:02 (7), 09/21/2025 18:46 (1), 11/09/2025 14:00 (1), 12/06/2025 06:33 (1), 12/18/2025 01:39 (11), 04/18/2026 00:34 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Discussion

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