Linux Kernel up to 6.17.12/6.18.1 intel_pmu_drain_pebs_icl null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.17.12/6.18.1. Affected by this issue is the function intel_pmu_drain_pebs_icl. Such manipulation leads to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is referenced as CVE-2025-68375. No exploit is available. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.17.12/6.18.1. Affected by this issue is the function intel_pmu_drain_pebs_icl. 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. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf/x86: Fix NULL event access and potential PEBS record loss When intel_pmu_drain_pebs_icl() is called to drain PEBS records, the perf_event_overflow() could be called to process the last PEBS record. While perf_event_overflow() could trigger the interrupt throttle and stop all events of the group, like what the below call-chain shows. perf_event_overflow() -> __perf_event_overflow() ->__perf_event_account_interrupt() -> perf_event_throttle_group() -> perf_event_throttle() -> event->pmu->stop() -> x86_pmu_stop() The side effect of stopping the events is that all corresponding event pointers in cpuc->events[] array are cleared to NULL. Assume there are two PEBS events (event a and event b) in a group. When intel_pmu_drain_pebs_icl() calls perf_event_overflow() to process the last PEBS record of PEBS event a, interrupt throttle is triggered and all pointers of event a and event b are cleared to NULL. Then intel_pmu_drain_pebs_icl() tries to process the last PEBS record of event b and encounters NULL pointer access. To avoid this issue, move cpuc->events[] clearing from x86_pmu_stop() to x86_pmu_del(). It's safe since cpuc->active_mask or cpuc->pebs_enabled is always checked before access the event pointer from cpuc->events[].

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2025-68375 since 12/16/2025. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 279761 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-68375), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.17.13, 6.18.2 or 6.19-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch cf69b99805c263117305ac6dffbc85aaf9259d32/6b089028bff1f2ff9e0c62b8f1faca1a620e5d6e/7e772a93eb61cb6265bdd1c5bde17d0f2718b452 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 (279761) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2920). VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Affected

• Open Source Linux Kernel

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.17.0
• 6.17.1
• 6.17.2
• 6.17.3
• 6.17.4
• 6.17.5
• 6.17.6
• 6.17.7
• 6.17.8
• 6.17.9
• 6.17.10
• 6.17.11
• 6.17.12
• 6.18.0
• 6.18.1

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

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Entryinfo

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

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