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NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

CVE-2025-38449: drm/gem: Acquire references on GEM handles for framebuffers

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 22/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.18% (FIRST EPSS).
  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: Linux Linux 08480e285c6a82ce689008d643e4a51db0aaef8b, 3cf520d9860d4ec9f7f32068825da31f18dd3f25, 5307dce878d4126e1b375587318955bd019c3741; azl3 kernel 6.6.96.2-2 on Azure Linux 3.0 6.6.104.2-1; cbl2 kernel 5.15.202.1-1 on CBL-Mariner 2.0 Release Notes.
  • Severity is disputed: the assigning authority (CNA) scores it 7.8, NVD 5.5.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 08480e285c6a82ce689008d643e4a51db0aaef8b, 3cf520d9860d4ec9f7f32068825da31f18dd3f25, 5307dce878d4126e1b375587318955bd019c3741; azl3 kernel 6.6.96.2-2 on Azure Linux 3.0 6.6.104.2-1; cbl2 kernel 5.15.202.1-1 on CBL-Mariner 2.0 Release Notes or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/gem: Acquire references on GEM handles for framebuffers A GEM handle can be released while the GEM buffer object is attached to a DRM framebuffer. This leads to the release of the dma-buf backing the buffer object, if any. [1] Trying to use the framebuffer in further mode-setting operations leads to a segmentation fault. Most easily happens with driver that use shadow planes for vmap-ing the dma-buf during a page flip. An example is shown below. [ 156.791968] ------------[ cut here ]------------ [ 156.796830] WARNING: CPU: 2 PID: 2255 at drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c:1527 dma_buf_vmap+0x224/0x430 [...] [ 156.942028] RIP: 0010:dma_buf_vmap+0x224/0x430 [ 157.043420] Call Trace: [ 157.045898] <TASK> [ 157.048030] ? show_trace_log_lvl+0x1af/0x2c0 [ 157.052436] ? show_trace_log_lvl+0x1af/0x2c0 [ 157.056836] ? show_trace_log_lvl+0x1af/0x2c0 [ 157.061253] ? drm_gem_shmem_vmap+0x74/0x710 [ 157.065567] ? dma_buf_vmap+0x224/0x430 [ 157.069446] ? __warn.cold+0x58/0xe4 [ 157.073061] ? dma_buf_vmap+0x224/0x430 [ 157.077111] ? report_bug+0x1dd/0x390 [ 157.080842] ? handle_bug+0x5e/0xa0 [ 157.084389] ? exc_invalid_op+0x14/0x50 [ 157.088291] ? asm_exc_invalid_op+0x16/0x20 [ 157.092548] ? dma_buf_vmap+0x224/0x430 [ 157.096663] ? dma_resv_get_singleton+0x6d/0x230 [ 157.101341] ? __pfx_dma_buf_vmap+0x10/0x10 [ 157.105588] ? __pfx_dma_resv_get_singleton+0x10/0x10 [ 157.110697] drm_gem_shmem_vmap+0x74/0x710 [ 157.114866] drm_gem_vmap+0xa9/0x1b0 [ 157.118763] drm_gem_vmap_unlocked+0x46/0xa0 [ 157.123086] drm_gem_fb_vmap+0xab/0x300 [ 157.126979] drm_atomic_helper_prepare_planes.part.0+0x487/0xb10 [ 157.133032] ? lockdep_init_map_type+0x19d/0x880 [ 157.137701] drm_atomic_helper_commit+0x13d/0x2e0 [ 157.142671] ? drm_atomic_nonblocking_commit+0xa0/0x180 [ 157.147988] drm_mode_atomic_ioctl+0x766/0xe40 [...] [ 157.346424] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- Acquiring GEM handles for the framebuffer's GEM buffer objects prevents this from happening. The framebuffer's cleanup later puts the handle references. Commit 1a148af06000 ("drm/gem-shmem: Use dma_buf from GEM object instance") triggers the segmentation fault easily by using the dma-buf field more widely. The underlying issue with reference counting has been present before. v2: - acquire the handle instead of the BO (Christian) - fix comment style (Christian) - drop the Fixes tag (Christian) - rename err_ gotos - add missing Link tag

MediumCVSS 5.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Jul 25, 2025
Updated
Oct 15, 2026
EPSS
0.1% · 8th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

22

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.1%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
total

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
5.5
CNA · Linux
7.8
2.3 point gap

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • linux linux kernelbefore 6.6.99
  • linux linux kernel6.7 and later · before 6.12.39
  • linux linux kernel6.13 and later · before 6.15.7
  • linux linux kernel6.16

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Linux Linux

    • 3.12affected
    • 319c933c71f3dbdb2b3274d1634d3494c70efa06 and later · before cb4c956a15f8b7f870649454771fc3761f504b5faffected · git
    • 319c933c71f3dbdb2b3274d1634d3494c70efa06 and later · before 08480e285c6a82ce689008d643e4a51db0aaef8baffected · git
    • 319c933c71f3dbdb2b3274d1634d3494c70efa06 and later · before 3cf520d9860d4ec9f7f32068825da31f18dd3f25affected · git
    • 319c933c71f3dbdb2b3274d1634d3494c70efa06 and later · before 5307dce878d4126e1b375587318955bd019c3741affected · git
    • before 3.12not affected · semver
    • 6.6.99 and later · up to and including 6.6.*not affected · semver
    • 6.12.39 and later · up to and including 6.12.*not affected · semver
    • 6.15.7 and later · up to and including 6.15.*not affected · semver
    • 6.16 and laternot affected · original_commit_for_fix

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
AlmaLinux:10kernel-abi-stablelistsbefore 6.12.0-55.31.1.el10_06.12.0-55.31.1.el10_0
AlmaLinux:10kernel-docbefore 6.12.0-55.31.1.el10_06.12.0-55.31.1.el10_0
AlmaLinux:8bpftoolbefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernelbefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-abi-stablelistsbefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-corebefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-cross-headersbefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-debugbefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-debug-corebefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-debug-develbefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-debug-modulesbefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-debug-modules-extrabefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-develbefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-docbefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-headersbefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-modulesbefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-modules-extrabefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rtbefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.rt7.416.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.rt7.416.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rt-corebefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.rt7.416.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.rt7.416.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rt-debugbefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.rt7.416.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.rt7.416.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rt-debug-corebefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.rt7.416.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.rt7.416.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rt-debug-develbefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.rt7.416.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.rt7.416.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rt-debug-modulesbefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.rt7.416.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.rt7.416.el8_10
AlmaLinux:8kernel-rt-debug-modules-extrabefore 4.18.0-553.75.1.rt7.416.el8_104.18.0-553.75.1.rt7.416.el8_10

+96

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-31431crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-placeKEV
    90Now
  • CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe KEV
    89Now
  • CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV
    85Now

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2025-38439Jul 25, 2025 · bnxt_en: Set DMA unmap len correctly for XDP_REDIRECT
    22Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2025-38440Jul 25, 2025 · net/mlx5e: Fix race between DIM disable and net_dim()
    18Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2025-38455Jul 25, 2025 · KVM: SVM: Reject SEV{-ES} intra host migration if vCPU creation is in-flight
    22Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Linux Linux08480e285c6a82ce689008d643e4a51db0aaef8bVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux3cf520d9860d4ec9f7f32068825da31f18dd3f25Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux5307dce878d4126e1b375587318955bd019c3741Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxcb4c956a15f8b7f870649454771fc3761f504b5fVendor (CNA)
azl3 kernel 6.6.96.2-2 on Azure Linux 3.06.6.104.2-1 · CBL-Mariner ReleasesMicrosoft (MSRC)
cbl2 kernel 5.15.202.1-1 on CBL-Mariner 2.0Release NotesMicrosoft (MSRC)
almalinux:kernel5.14.0-570.42.2.el9_6 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-64k5.14.0-570.42.2.el9_6 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-64k-core5.14.0-570.42.2.el9_6 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-64k-debug5.14.0-570.42.2.el9_6 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-64k-debug-core5.14.0-570.42.2.el9_6 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-64k-debug-devel5.14.0-570.42.2.el9_6 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched5.14.0-570.42.2.el9_6 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-64k-debug-modules5.14.0-570.42.2.el9_6 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-64k-debug-modules-core5.14.0-570.42.2.el9_6 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-64k-debug-modules-extra5.14.0-570.42.2.el9_6 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-abi-stablelists6.12.0-55.31.1.el10_0 · AlmaLinux:10Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:kernel-doc6.12.0-55.31.1.el10_0 · AlmaLinux:10Package registry (OSV)
debian:linux6.12.41-1 · Debian:13Package registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-debug-debuginfo0:6.12.0-55.31.1.el10_0 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.0Package registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-debug-devel0:6.12.0-55.31.1.el10_0 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.0Package registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched0:6.12.0-55.31.1.el10_0 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.0Package registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-debuginfo0:6.12.0-55.31.1.el10_0 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.0Package registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-devel0:6.12.0-55.31.1.el10_0 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.0Package registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-devel-matched0:6.12.0-55.31.1.el10_0 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.0Package registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-debug-debuginfo0:6.12.0-55.31.1.el10_0 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.0Package registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-debug-devel0:6.12.0-55.31.1.el10_0 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.0Package registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-debug-devel-matched0:6.12.0-55.31.1.el10_0 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.0Package registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-debuginfo0:6.12.0-55.31.1.el10_0 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.0Package registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch640:6.12.0-55.31.1.el10_0 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.0Package registry (OSV)

+2

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
none
Integrity
none
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
None
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-416 · Use After Free

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

nvd-primary

Root cause

After a memory region is freed, another reference pointing to it is still used. By then, the same region may have been allocated for different data.

The bug in code

The whole CWE-416 class

A representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.

Vulnerable

c
free(dev->buf);/* ... another thread is still running ... */process(dev->buf);

Fixed

c
lock(&dev->lock);free(dev->buf);dev->buf = NULL;unlock(&dev->lock);

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Change log

  1. SSVC exploitation— → none
  2. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (3 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records