Linux Kernel up to 6.12.52/6.17.2 register_shm_helper null pointer dereference

CVSS Meta Temp Score
CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.
Current Exploit Price (≈)
Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.
CTI Interest Score
Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
5.5$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.52/6.17.2. This affects the function register_shm_helper. Performing a manipulation results in null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2025-40031. There is not any exploit available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.12.52/6.17.2. It has been classified as critical. This affects the function register_shm_helper. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as 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. This is going to have an impact on availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tee: fix register_shm_helper() In register_shm_helper(), fix incorrect error handling for a call to iov_iter_extract_pages(). A case is missing for when iov_iter_extract_pages() only got some pages and return a number larger than 0, but not the requested amount. This fixes a possible NULL pointer dereference following a bad input from ioctl(TEE_IOC_SHM_REGISTER) where parts of the buffer isn't mapped.

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2025-40031 since 04/16/2025. Technical details are known, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 271893 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-40031), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.12.53, 6.17.3 or 6.18-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 9338093db954918558677a468d32e77041c65167/6a7874ab814ce12003c46a92f7afc9b035c8e8e9/d5cf5b37064b1699d946e8b7ab4ac7d7d101814c 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 (271893) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2431). If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Affected

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

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.7
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.5

VulDB Base Score: 5.7
VulDB Temp Score: 5.5
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

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

Exploitinginfo

Class: Null pointer dereference
CWE: CWE-476 / CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

0-DayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
TodayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

Nessus ID: 271893
Nessus Name: Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-40031

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.12.53/6.17.3/6.18-rc1
Patch: 9338093db954918558677a468d32e77041c65167/6a7874ab814ce12003c46a92f7afc9b035c8e8e9/d5cf5b37064b1699d946e8b7ab4ac7d7d101814c

Timelineinfo

04/16/2025 CVE reserved
10/28/2025 +195 days Advisory disclosed
10/28/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
05/19/2026 +203 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2025-40031 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2025-40031
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-330261
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-2431 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 10/28/2025 14:45
Updated: 05/19/2026 20:23
Changes: 10/28/2025 14:45 (58), 10/29/2025 09:12 (7), 10/29/2025 10:59 (2), 10/30/2025 12:46 (1), 11/24/2025 12:19 (1), 12/11/2025 13:06 (1), 02/08/2026 14:20 (1), 02/15/2026 18:43 (1), 05/19/2026 20:23 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Discussion

No comments yet. Languages: en.

Please log in to comment.

Want to know what is going to be exploited?

We predict KEV entries!