VDB-321101 · CVE-2025-38645 · Nessus 266176

Linux Kernel up to 6.16.0 mlx5_init_once allocation of resources

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5.4	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.147/6.6.101/6.12.41/6.15.9/6.16.0. Affected by this vulnerability is the function mlx5_init_once. The manipulation leads to allocation of resources. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2025-38645. There is not any exploit available. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

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. It has been rated as critical. This issue affects the function mlx5_init_once. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a allocation of resources vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-770. The product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated, in violation of the intended security policy for that actor. The impact remains unknown. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/mlx5: Check device memory pointer before usage Add a NULL check before accessing device memory to prevent a crash if dev->dm allocation in mlx5_init_once() fails.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2025-38645 since 04/16/2025. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 266176 (Amazon Linux 2023 : bpftool6.12, kernel6.12, kernel6.12-devel (ALAS2023-2025-1208)), 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 eebb225fe6c9103293807b8edabcbad59f9589bc/62d7cf455c887941ed6f105cd430ba04ee0b6c9f/4249f1307932f1b6bbb8b7eba60d82f0b7e44430/3046b011d368162b1b9ca9453eee0fea930e0a93/da899a1fd7c40e2e4302af1db7d0b8540fb22283/70f238c902b8c0461ae6fbb8d1a0bbddc4350eea 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 (266176) 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: 5.5
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.4

VulDB Base Score: 5.5
VulDB Temp Score: 5.3
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: Allocation of resources
CWE: CWE-770 / CWE-400 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒