Linux Kernel up to 6.17-rc1 default_device_exit_batch null pointer dereference

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5.0	$0-$5k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Linux Kernel up to 6.17-rc1. This impacts the function default_device_exit_batch. The manipulation leads to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2025-38683. There is no exploit available. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.17-rc1 and classified as critical. This issue affects the function default_device_exit_batch. 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: hv_netvsc: Fix panic during namespace deletion with VF The existing code move the VF NIC to new namespace when NETDEV_REGISTER is received on netvsc NIC. During deletion of the namespace, default_device_exit_batch() >> default_device_exit_net() is called. When netvsc NIC is moved back and registered to the default namespace, it automatically brings VF NIC back to the default namespace. This will cause the default_device_exit_net() >> for_each_netdev_safe loop unable to detect the list end, and hit NULL ptr: [ 231.449420] mana 7870:00:00.0 enP30832s1: Moved VF to namespace with: eth0 [ 231.449656] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000010 [ 231.450246] #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode [ 231.450579] #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page [ 231.450916] PGD 17b8a8067 P4D 0 [ 231.451163] Oops: Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP NOPTI [ 231.451450] CPU: 82 UID: 0 PID: 1394 Comm: kworker/u768:1 Not tainted 6.16.0-rc4+ #3 VOLUNTARY [ 231.452042] Hardware name: Microsoft Corporation Virtual Machine/Virtual Machine, BIOS Hyper-V UEFI Release v4.1 11/21/2024 [ 231.452692] Workqueue: netns cleanup_net [ 231.452947] RIP: 0010:default_device_exit_batch+0x16c/0x3f0 [ 231.453326] Code: c0 0c f5 b3 e8 d5 db fe ff 48 85 c0 74 15 48 c7 c2 f8 fd ca b2 be 10 00 00 00 48 8d 7d c0 e8 7b 77 25 00 49 8b 86 28 01 00 00 <48> 8b 50 10 4c 8b 2a 4c 8d 62 f0 49 83 ed 10 4c 39 e0 0f 84 d6 00 [ 231.454294] RSP: 0018:ff75fc7c9bf9fd00 EFLAGS: 00010246 [ 231.454610] RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 0000000000000002 RCX: 61c8864680b583eb [ 231.455094] RDX: ff1fa9f71462d800 RSI: ff75fc7c9bf9fd38 RDI: 0000000030766564 [ 231.455686] RBP: ff75fc7c9bf9fd78 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 [ 231.456126] R10: 0000000000000001 R11: 0000000000000004 R12: ff1fa9f70088e340 [ 231.456621] R13: ff1fa9f70088e340 R14: ffffffffb3f50c20 R15: ff1fa9f7103e6340 [ 231.457161] FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ff1faa6783a08000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [ 231.457707] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [ 231.458031] CR2: 0000000000000010 CR3: 0000000179ab2006 CR4: 0000000000b73ef0 [ 231.458434] Call Trace: [ 231.458600] <TASK> [ 231.458777] ops_undo_list+0x100/0x220 [ 231.459015] cleanup_net+0x1b8/0x300 [ 231.459285] process_one_work+0x184/0x340 To fix it, move the ns change to a workqueue, and take rtnl_lock to avoid changing the netdev list when default_device_exit_net() is using it.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2025-38683 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 261587 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-38683), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.10.241, 5.15.190, 6.1.149, 6.6.103, 6.12.43, 6.15.11, 6.16.2 or 6.17-rc2 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 3ca41ab55d23a0aa71661a5a56a8f06c11db90dc/3467c4ebb334658c6fcf3eabb64a6e8b2135e010/4eff1e57a8ef98d70451b94e8437e458b27dd234/2a70cbd1aef8b8be39992ab7b776ce1390091774/d036104947176d030bec64792d54e1b4f4c7f318/5276896e6923ebe8c68573779d784aaf7d987cce/4293f6c5ccf735b26afeb6825def14d830e0367b/33caa208dba6fa639e8a92fd0c8320b652e5550c 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 (261587) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1976). Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Affected

• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• SUSE openSUSE
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Microsoft Azure
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• IBM Security Verify Access
• Dell NetWorker

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.10.240
• 5.15.189
• 6.1.148
• 6.6.102
• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1
• 6.12.2
• 6.12.3
• 6.12.4
• 6.12.5
• 6.12.6
• 6.12.7
• 6.12.8
• 6.12.9
• 6.12.10
• 6.12.11
• 6.12.12
• 6.12.13
• 6.12.14
• 6.12.15
• 6.12.16
• 6.12.17
• 6.12.18
• 6.12.19
• 6.12.20
• 6.12.21
• 6.12.22
• 6.12.23
• 6.12.24
• 6.12.25
• 6.12.26
• 6.12.27
• 6.12.28
• 6.12.29
• 6.12.30
• 6.12.31
• 6.12.32
• 6.12.33
• 6.12.34
• 6.12.35
• 6.12.36
• 6.12.37
• 6.12.38
• 6.12.39
• 6.12.40
• 6.12.41
• 6.12.42
• 6.15.0
• 6.15.1
• 6.15.2
• 6.15.3
• 6.15.4
• 6.15.5
• 6.15.6
• 6.15.7
• 6.15.8
• 6.15.9
• 6.15.10
• 6.16.0
• 6.16.1
• 6.17-rc1

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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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

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
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💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
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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: 🔒

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Nessus ID: 261587
Nessus Name: Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-38683

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 5.10.241/5.15.190/6.1.149/6.6.103/6.12.43/6.15.11/6.16.2/6.17-rc2
Patch: 3ca41ab55d23a0aa71661a5a56a8f06c11db90dc/3467c4ebb334658c6fcf3eabb64a6e8b2135e010/4eff1e57a8ef98d70451b94e8437e458b27dd234/2a70cbd1aef8b8be39992ab7b776ce1390091774/d036104947176d030bec64792d54e1b4f4c7f318/5276896e6923ebe8c68573779d784aaf7d987cce/4293f6c5ccf735b26afeb6825def14d830e0367b/33caa208dba6fa639e8a92fd0c8320b652e5550c

Timelineinfo

04/16/2025 CVE reserved
09/04/2025 +141 days Advisory disclosed
09/04/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
02/10/2026 +159 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2025-38683 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2025-38683
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-322529
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-1976 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen erm&ouml;glichen Denial of Service

Entryinfo

Created: 09/04/2025 18:24
Updated: 02/10/2026 04:08
Changes: 09/04/2025 18:24 (58), 09/05/2025 12:08 (7), 09/07/2025 21:27 (2), 09/29/2025 11:28 (1), 10/08/2025 14:09 (1), 12/02/2025 07:19 (1), 01/09/2026 06:48 (12), 01/14/2026 17:34 (1), 02/10/2026 04:08 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Discussion

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