VDB-320612 · CVE-2025-38565 · EUVD-2025-26104

Linux Kernel up to 6.16.0 perf_mmap reference count

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6.6	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability described as critical has been identified in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.147/6.6.101/6.12.41/6.15.9/6.16.0. The affected element is the function perf_mmap. Such manipulation leads to reference count. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2025-38565. No exploit exists. Upgrading the affected component is recommended.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.147/6.6.101/6.12.41/6.15.9/6.16.0 and classified as critical. Affected by this issue is the function perf_mmap. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a reference count vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-911. The product uses a reference count to manage a resource, but it does not update or incorrectly updates the reference count. Impacted is availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf/core: Exit early on perf_mmap() fail When perf_mmap() fails to allocate a buffer, it still invokes the event_mapped() callback of the related event. On X86 this might increase the perf_rdpmc_allowed reference counter. But nothing undoes this as perf_mmap_close() is never called in this case, which causes another reference count leak. Return early on failure to prevent that.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2025-38565 since 04/16/2025. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 260134 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-38565), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.1.148, 6.6.102, 6.12.42, 6.15.10, 6.16.1 or 6.17-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 27d44145bd576bbef9bf6165bcd78128ec3e6cbd/f41e9eba77bf97626e04296dc5677d02816d2432/92043120a2e992800580855498ab8507e1b22db9/163b0d1a209fe0df5476c1df2330ca12b55abf92/7ff8521f30c4c2fcd4e88bd7640486602bf8a650/07091aade394f690e7b655578140ef84d0e8d7b0 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 (260134), EUVD (EUVD-2025-26104) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1869). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Affected

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

Productinfo

Type

Operating System

Vendor

Linux

Name

Kernel

Version

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: 6.7
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.6

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

NVD Base Score: 7.8
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
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Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Reference count
CWE: CWE-911 / CWE-664
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒