VDB-321119 · CVE-2025-38669 · WID-SEC-2025-1898

Linux Kernel up to 6.15.8 dma_buf null pointer dereference

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5.5	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.15.8. The impacted element is the function dma_buf. The manipulation leads to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2025-38669. There is no exploit available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.15.8. It has been rated as critical. This issue affects the function dma_buf. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to 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. Impacted is availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Revert "drm/gem-shmem: Use dma_buf from GEM object instance" This reverts commit 1a148af06000e545e714fe3210af3d77ff903c11. The dma_buf field in struct drm_gem_object is not stable over the object instance's lifetime. The field becomes NULL when user space releases the final GEM handle on the buffer object. This resulted in a NULL-pointer deref. Workarounds in commit 5307dce878d4 ("drm/gem: Acquire references on GEM handles for framebuffers") and commit f6bfc9afc751 ("drm/framebuffer: Acquire internal references on GEM handles") only solved the problem partially. They especially don't work for buffer objects without a DRM framebuffer associated. Hence, this revert to going back to using .import_attach->dmabuf. v3: - cc stable

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2025-38669 since 04/16/2025. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

Upgrading to version 6.15.9 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 291a77604858a8b47cf6640a12b76e97f99e00ed/6d496e9569983a0d7a05be6661126d0702cf94f7 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 vulnerability database at CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1898). Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Affected

Debian Linux
Google Cloud Platform
Amazon Linux 2
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

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: 5.6
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.5

VulDB Base Score: 5.7
VulDB Temp Score: 5.5
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: 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: 🔒