Linux Kernel up to 6.16.0 panthor_gem_create_with_handle initialization

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as problematic has been detected in Linux Kernel up to 6.16.0. The affected element is the function panthor_gem_create_with_handle. This manipulation causes initialization. This vulnerability appears as CVE-2025-38596. There is no available exploit. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.16.0. It has been declared as problematic. Affected by this vulnerability is the function panthor_gem_create_with_handle. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a initialization vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-665. The product does not initialize or incorrectly initializes a resource, which might leave the resource in an unexpected state when it is accessed or used. The impact remains unknown. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/panthor: Fix UAF in panthor_gem_create_with_handle() debugfs code The object is potentially already gone after the drm_gem_object_put(). In general the object should be fully constructed before calling drm_gem_handle_create(), except the debugfs tracking uses a separate lock and list and separate flag to denotate whether the object is actually initialized. Since I'm touching this all anyway simplify this by only adding the object to the debugfs when it's ready for that, which allows us to delete that separate flag. panthor_gem_debugfs_bo_rm() already checks whether we've actually been added to the list or this is some error path cleanup. v2: Fix build issues for !CONFIG_DEBUGFS (Adrián) v3: Add linebreak and remove outdated comment (Liviu)

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2025-38596 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 260164 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-38596), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.16.1 or 6.17-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 5f2be12442db6a2904e6e31b0e3b5ad5aebf868b/fe69a391808404977b1f002a6e7447de3de7a88e 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 (260164) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1869). Be aware that VulDB is the high quality 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

• 6.0
• 6.1
• 6.2
• 6.3
• 6.4
• 6.5
• 6.6
• 6.7
• 6.8
• 6.9
• 6.10
• 6.11
• 6.12
• 6.13
• 6.14
• 6.15
• 6.16.0

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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Entryinfo

Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

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