VDB-320620 · CVE-2025-38583 · Nessus 276629

Linux Kernel up to 6.16.0 pll_post null pointer dereference

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5.0	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.147/6.6.101/6.12.41/6.15.9/6.16.0. It has been declared as critical. This vulnerability affects the function pll_post. Executing a manipulation can lead to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2025-38583. No exploit is available. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been 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. This vulnerability affects the function pll_post. 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. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: clk: xilinx: vcu: unregister pll_post only if registered correctly If registration of pll_post is failed, it will be set to NULL or ERR, unregistering same will fail with following call trace: Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 008 pc : clk_hw_unregister+0xc/0x20 lr : clk_hw_unregister_fixed_factor+0x18/0x30 sp : ffff800011923850 ... Call trace: clk_hw_unregister+0xc/0x20 clk_hw_unregister_fixed_factor+0x18/0x30 xvcu_unregister_clock_provider+0xcc/0xf4 [xlnx_vcu] xvcu_probe+0x2bc/0x53c [xlnx_vcu]

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2025-38583 since 04/16/2025. The exploitation appears to be difficult. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 276629 (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS / 25.04 : Linux kernel vulnerabilities (USN-7879-1)), 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 88bd875b7f9c3652c27d6e4bb7a23701b764f762/51990eecf22f446550befdfd1a9f54147eafd636/f1a1be99d5ae53d3b404415f1665eb59e8e02a8c/86124c5cfceb5ac04d2fddbf1b6f7147332d96a3/a72b1c2d3b53e088bfaeb593949ff6fbd2cbe8ed/3b0abc443ac22f7d4f61ddbbbbc5dbb06c87139d 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 (276629) 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: 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

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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: 🔒