VDB-321077 · CVE-2025-38628 · Nessus 270575

Linux Kernel up to 6.12.41/6.15.9/6.16.0 vdpa mlx5_vdpa_free uninitialized resource

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4.9	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.41/6.15.9/6.16.0. This impacts the function mlx5_vdpa_free of the component vdpa. The manipulation leads to uninitialized resource. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2025-38628. No exploit exists. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.41/6.15.9/6.16.0. This issue affects the function mlx5_vdpa_free of the component vdpa. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a uninitialized resource vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-908. The product uses or accesses a resource that has not been initialized. The impact remains unknown. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: vdpa/mlx5: Fix release of uninitialized resources on error path The commit in the fixes tag made sure that mlx5_vdpa_free() is the single entrypoint for removing the vdpa device resources added in mlx5_vdpa_dev_add(), even in the cleanup path of mlx5_vdpa_dev_add(). This means that all functions from mlx5_vdpa_free() should be able to handle uninitialized resources. This was not the case though: mlx5_vdpa_destroy_mr_resources() and mlx5_cmd_cleanup_async_ctx() were not able to do so. This caused the splat below when adding a vdpa device without a MAC address. This patch fixes these remaining issues: - Makes mlx5_vdpa_destroy_mr_resources() return early if called on uninitialized resources. - Moves mlx5_cmd_init_async_ctx() early on during device addition because it can't fail. This means that mlx5_cmd_cleanup_async_ctx() also can't fail. To mirror this, move the call site of mlx5_cmd_cleanup_async_ctx() in mlx5_vdpa_free(). An additional comment was added in mlx5_vdpa_free() to document the expectations of functions called from this context. Splat: mlx5_core 0000:b5:03.2: mlx5_vdpa_dev_add:3950:(pid 2306) warning: No mac address provisioned? ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 13 PID: 2306 at kernel/workqueue.c:4207 __flush_work+0x9a/0xb0 [...] Call Trace: <TASK> ? __try_to_del_timer_sync+0x61/0x90 ? __timer_delete_sync+0x2b/0x40 mlx5_vdpa_destroy_mr_resources+0x1c/0x40 [mlx5_vdpa] mlx5_vdpa_free+0x45/0x160 [mlx5_vdpa] vdpa_release_dev+0x1e/0x50 [vdpa] device_release+0x31/0x90 kobject_cleanup+0x37/0x130 mlx5_vdpa_dev_add+0x327/0x890 [mlx5_vdpa] vdpa_nl_cmd_dev_add_set_doit+0x2c1/0x4d0 [vdpa] genl_family_rcv_msg_doit+0xd8/0x130 genl_family_rcv_msg+0x14b/0x220 ? __pfx_vdpa_nl_cmd_dev_add_set_doit+0x10/0x10 [vdpa] genl_rcv_msg+0x47/0xa0 ? __pfx_genl_rcv_msg+0x10/0x10 netlink_rcv_skb+0x53/0x100 genl_rcv+0x24/0x40 netlink_unicast+0x27b/0x3b0 netlink_sendmsg+0x1f7/0x430 __sys_sendto+0x1fa/0x210 ? ___pte_offset_map+0x17/0x160 ? next_uptodate_folio+0x85/0x2b0 ? percpu_counter_add_batch+0x51/0x90 ? filemap_map_pages+0x515/0x660 __x64_sys_sendto+0x20/0x30 do_syscall_64+0x7b/0x2c0 ? do_read_fault+0x108/0x220 ? do_pte_missing+0x14a/0x3e0 ? __handle_mm_fault+0x321/0x730 ? count_memcg_events+0x13f/0x180 ? handle_mm_fault+0x1fb/0x2d0 ? do_user_addr_fault+0x20c/0x700 ? syscall_exit_work+0x104/0x140 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e RIP: 0033:0x7f0c25b0feca [...] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2025-38628 since 04/16/2025. The exploitation is known to be difficult. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 270575 (Oracle Linux 10 / 9 : Unbreakable Enterprise kernel (ELSA-2025-20662)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.12.42, 6.15.10, 6.16.1 or 6.17-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 37f26b9013b46457b0a96633fc3a7dc977d8beb1/cf4fc23d0d3d5b89b36f0d79f2674510bb574d8e/6de4ef950dd56a6a81daf92d8a1d864fc6a56971/cc51a66815999afb7e9cd845968de4fdf07567b7 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 (270575) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1898). If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Affected

Debian Linux
Google Cloud Platform
Amazon Linux 2
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Ubuntu Linux
SUSE Linux
Oracle Linux
NetApp AFF
NetApp ActiveIQ Unified Manager
SUSE openSUSE
Dell Avamar
NetApp FAS
Open Source Linux Kernel
Dell NetWorker
Dell Secure Connect Gateway
Dell ECS

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: 5.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 4.9

VulDB Base Score: 4.6
VulDB Temp Score: 4.4
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.5
NVD Vector: 🔒

CVSSv2info

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

Exploitinginfo

Class: Uninitialized resource
CWE: CWE-908
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒