Linux Kernel up to 6.12.36/6.15.5/6.16-rc4 optee kernel/locking/mutex.c notif_callback stack-based overflow

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6.6	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.36/6.15.5/6.16-rc4. It has been classified as critical. This issue affects the function notif_callback of the file kernel/locking/mutex.c of the component optee. The manipulation leads to stack-based overflow. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2025-38374. There is not any exploit available. Upgrading the affected component is recommended.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.36/6.15.5/6.16-rc4 and classified as critical. This issue affects the function notif_callback of the file kernel/locking/mutex.c of the component optee. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a stack-based overflow vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-121. A stack-based buffer overflow condition is a condition where the buffer being overwritten is allocated on the stack (i.e., is a local variable or, rarely, a parameter to a function). Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: optee: ffa: fix sleep in atomic context The OP-TEE driver registers the function notif_callback() for FF-A notifications. However, this function is called in an atomic context leading to errors like this when processing asynchronous notifications: | BUG: sleeping function called from invalid context at kernel/locking/mutex.c:258 | in_atomic(): 1, irqs_disabled(): 1, non_block: 0, pid: 9, name: kworker/0:0 | preempt_count: 1, expected: 0 | RCU nest depth: 0, expected: 0 | CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 9 Comm: kworker/0:0 Not tainted 6.14.0-00019-g657536ebe0aa #13 | Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT) | Workqueue: ffa_pcpu_irq_notification notif_pcpu_irq_work_fn | Call trace: | show_stack+0x18/0x24 (C) | dump_stack_lvl+0x78/0x90 | dump_stack+0x18/0x24 | __might_resched+0x114/0x170 | __might_sleep+0x48/0x98 | mutex_lock+0x24/0x80 | optee_get_msg_arg+0x7c/0x21c | simple_call_with_arg+0x50/0xc0 | optee_do_bottom_half+0x14/0x20 | notif_callback+0x3c/0x48 | handle_notif_callbacks+0x9c/0xe0 | notif_get_and_handle+0x40/0x88 | generic_exec_single+0x80/0xc0 | smp_call_function_single+0xfc/0x1a0 | notif_pcpu_irq_work_fn+0x2c/0x38 | process_one_work+0x14c/0x2b4 | worker_thread+0x2e4/0x3e0 | kthread+0x13c/0x210 | ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20 Fix this by adding work queue to process the notification in a non-atomic context.

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2025-38374 since 04/16/2025. The exploitation is known to be easy. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit. The pricing for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 12/23/2025).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 271193 (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS / 25.04 : Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities (USN-7834-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.12.37, 6.15.6 or 6.16-rc5 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 5f28563f0c6862c99eb115c918421d9b73f137ad/f27cf15783bd60063c6c97434cbd67ebd91d8db5/312d02adb959ea199372f375ada06e0186f651e4 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 (271193) 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

• 6.12.0
• 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
• 6.12.36
• 6.15.0
• 6.15.1
• 6.15.2
• 6.15.3
• 6.15.4
• 6.15.5
• 6.16-rc1
• 6.16-rc2
• 6.16-rc3
• 6.16-rc4

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: 6.8
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.6

VulDB Base Score: 8.0
VulDB Temp Score: 7.6
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.5
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

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

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Stack-based overflow
CWE: CWE-121 / CWE-119
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: 271193
Nessus Name: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS / 25.04 : Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities (USN-7834-1)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.12.37/6.15.6/6.16-rc5
Patch: 5f28563f0c6862c99eb115c918421d9b73f137ad/f27cf15783bd60063c6c97434cbd67ebd91d8db5/312d02adb959ea199372f375ada06e0186f651e4

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-2025-38374 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2025-38374
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-317651
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-1653 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 07/25/2025 15:40
Updated: 12/23/2025 13:01
Changes: 07/25/2025 15:40 (60), 08/19/2025 20:09 (7), 09/14/2025 15:44 (1), 09/15/2025 17:16 (1), 09/28/2025 17:40 (1), 10/26/2025 12:20 (2), 11/02/2025 07:12 (1), 11/17/2025 00:38 (1), 11/20/2025 01:54 (12), 12/23/2025 13:01 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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

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