Linux Kernel up to 6.17.2 PCI generic_handle_domain_irq null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability labeled as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.17.2. This vulnerability affects the function generic_handle_domain_irq of the component PCI. Executing a manipulation can lead to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2025-40076. There is not any exploit available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.17.2. This vulnerability affects the function generic_handle_domain_irq of the component PCI. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is 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. As an impact it is known to affect availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: PCI: rcar-host: Pass proper IRQ domain to generic_handle_domain_irq() Starting with commit dd26c1a23fd5 ("PCI: rcar-host: Switch to msi_create_parent_irq_domain()"), the MSI parent IRQ domain is NULL because the object of type struct irq_domain_info passed to: msi_create_parent_irq_domain() -> irq_domain_instantiate()() -> __irq_domain_instantiate() has no reference to the parent IRQ domain. Using msi->domain->parent as an argument for generic_handle_domain_irq() leads to below error: "Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address" This error was identified while switching the upcoming RZ/G3S PCIe host controller driver to msi_create_parent_irq_domain() (which was using a similar pattern to handle MSIs (see link section)), but it was not tested on hardware using the pcie-rcar-host controller driver due to lack of hardware. [mani: reworded subject and description]

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2025-40076 since 04/16/2025. The exploitation appears to be difficult. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 272022 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-40076), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.17.3 or 6.18-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch e8e21aaf5d34015901cd271053a67a62b4204526/d3fee10e40a938331e2aae34348691136db31304 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 (272022) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2431). VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Affected

• Google Container-Optimized OS
• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• SUSE openSUSE
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Microsoft Azure
• Dell NetWorker

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.17.0
• 6.17.1
• 6.17.2

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

CVSSv3info

CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Discussion