Linux Kernel up to 6.16-rc3 maple_tree mas_preallocate null pointer dereference

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5.5	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.145/6.6.98/6.12.35/6.15.4/6.16-rc3. The impacted element is the function mas_preallocate of the component maple_tree. Performing a manipulation results in null pointer dereference. This vulnerability was named CVE-2025-38364. There is no available exploit. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.145/6.6.98/6.12.35/6.15.4/6.16-rc3. It has been classified as critical. This affects the function mas_preallocate of the component maple_tree. 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. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: maple_tree: fix MA_STATE_PREALLOC flag in mas_preallocate() Temporarily clear the preallocation flag when explicitly requesting allocations. Pre-existing allocations are already counted against the request through mas_node_count_gfp(), but the allocations will not happen if the MA_STATE_PREALLOC flag is set. This flag is meant to avoid re-allocating in bulk allocation mode, and to detect issues with preallocation calculations. The MA_STATE_PREALLOC flag should also always be set on zero allocations so that detection of underflow allocations will print a WARN_ON() during consumption. User visible effect of this flaw is a WARN_ON() followed by a null pointer dereference when subsequent requests for larger number of nodes is ignored, such as the vma merge retry in mmap_region() caused by drivers altering the vma flags (which happens in v6.6, at least)

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2025-38364 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 253428 (SUSE SLES15 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:02923-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.1.146, 6.6.99, 6.12.36, 6.15.5 or 6.16-rc4 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch d69cd64bd5af41c6fd409313504089970edaf02f/e63032e66bca1d06e600033f3369ba3db3af0870/cf95f8426f889949b738f51ffcd72884411f3a6a/9e32f4700867abbd5d19abfcf698dbd0d2ce36a4/fba46a5d83ca8decb338722fb4899026d8d9ead2 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 (253428) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1653). Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Affected

• 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

• 6.1.145
• 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
• 6.6.94
• 6.6.95
• 6.6.96
• 6.6.97
• 6.6.98
• 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
• 6.12.34
• 6.12.35
• 6.15.0
• 6.15.1
• 6.15.2
• 6.15.3
• 6.15.4
• 6.16-rc1
• 6.16-rc2
• 6.16-rc3

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
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CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
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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
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💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
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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: 253428
Nessus Name: SUSE SLES15 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:02923-1)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.1.146/6.6.99/6.12.36/6.15.5/6.16-rc4
Patch: d69cd64bd5af41c6fd409313504089970edaf02f/e63032e66bca1d06e600033f3369ba3db3af0870/cf95f8426f889949b738f51ffcd72884411f3a6a/9e32f4700867abbd5d19abfcf698dbd0d2ce36a4/fba46a5d83ca8decb338722fb4899026d8d9ead2

Timelineinfo

04/16/2025 CVE reserved
07/25/2025 +100 days Advisory disclosed
07/25/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
12/23/2025 +151 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2025-38364 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2025-38364
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-317643
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-1653 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 07/25/2025 15:39
Updated: 12/23/2025 11:46
Changes: 07/25/2025 15:39 (59), 08/18/2025 01:57 (7), 08/19/2025 14:25 (1), 08/24/2025 01:34 (2), 09/14/2025 14:20 (1), 09/15/2025 13:01 (1), 09/28/2025 12:22 (1), 11/02/2025 05:57 (1), 11/16/2025 23:13 (1), 12/16/2025 15:47 (11), 12/23/2025 11:46 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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

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