Linux Kernel up to 6.6.93/6.12.33/6.15.2 phy_detach null pointer dereference

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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5.0$0-$5k3.06

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.93/6.12.33/6.15.2. It has been classified as critical. This issue affects the function phy_detach. This manipulation causes null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2025-38149. No exploit is available. Upgrading the affected component is recommended.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.93/6.12.33/6.15.2 and classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is the function phy_detach. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is 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. As an impact it is known to affect availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: phy: clear phydev->devlink when the link is deleted There is a potential crash issue when disabling and re-enabling the network port. When disabling the network port, phy_detach() calls device_link_del() to remove the device link, but it does not clear phydev->devlink, so phydev->devlink is not a NULL pointer. Then the network port is re-enabled, but if phy_attach_direct() fails before calling device_link_add(), the code jumps to the "error" label and calls phy_detach(). Since phydev->devlink retains the old value from the previous attach/detach cycle, device_link_del() uses the old value, which accesses a NULL pointer and causes a crash. The simplified crash log is as follows. [ 24.702421] Call trace: [ 24.704856] device_link_put_kref+0x20/0x120 [ 24.709124] device_link_del+0x30/0x48 [ 24.712864] phy_detach+0x24/0x168 [ 24.716261] phy_attach_direct+0x168/0x3a4 [ 24.720352] phylink_fwnode_phy_connect+0xc8/0x14c [ 24.725140] phylink_of_phy_connect+0x1c/0x34 Therefore, phydev->devlink needs to be cleared when the device link is deleted.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2025-38149 since 04/16/2025. The exploitation appears to be difficult. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 265934 (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS / 25.04 : Linux kernel vulnerabilities (USN-7769-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.6.94, 6.12.34, 6.15.3 or 6.16-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 363fdf2777423ad346d781f09548cca14877f729/ddc654e89ace723b78c34911c65243accbc9b75c/034bc4a2a72dea2cfcaf24c6bae03c38ad5a0b87/0795b05a59b1371b18ffbf09d385296b12e9f5d5 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 (265934), EUVD (EUVD-2025-19794) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1452). If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

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

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.1
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.0

VulDB Base Score: 4.8
VulDB Temp Score: 4.6
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.5
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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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: 🔒

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Nessus ID: 265934
Nessus Name: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS / 25.04 : Linux kernel vulnerabilities (USN-7769-1)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.6.94/6.12.34/6.15.3/6.16-rc1
Patch: 363fdf2777423ad346d781f09548cca14877f729/ddc654e89ace723b78c34911c65243accbc9b75c/034bc4a2a72dea2cfcaf24c6bae03c38ad5a0b87/0795b05a59b1371b18ffbf09d385296b12e9f5d5

Timelineinfo

04/16/2025 CVE reserved
07/03/2025 +78 days Advisory disclosed
07/03/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
04/18/2026 +289 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2025-38149 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2025-38149
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-314725
EUVD: 🔒
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-1452 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 07/03/2025 12:09
Updated: 04/18/2026 05:46
Changes: 07/03/2025 12:09 (58), 07/03/2025 12:58 (1), 08/23/2025 20:18 (7), 09/21/2025 20:11 (1), 09/28/2025 07:31 (2), 11/09/2025 15:24 (1), 11/20/2025 21:14 (12), 12/06/2025 17:48 (1), 04/18/2026 05:46 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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