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NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

CVE-2025-38628: vdpa/mlx5: Fix release of uninitialized resources on error path

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: 0.16% (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 37f26b9013b46457b0a96633fc3a7dc977d8beb1, 6de4ef950dd56a6a81daf92d8a1d864fc6a56971, cc51a66815999afb7e9cd845968de4fdf07567b7.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 37f26b9013b46457b0a96633fc3a7dc977d8beb1, 6de4ef950dd56a6a81daf92d8a1d864fc6a56971, cc51a66815999afb7e9cd845968de4fdf07567b7 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: vdpa/mlx5: Fix release of uninitialized resources on error path The commit in the fixes tag made sure that mlx5_vdpa_free() is the single entrypoint for removing the vdpa device resources added in mlx5_vdpa_dev_add(), even in the cleanup path of mlx5_vdpa_dev_add(). This means that all functions from mlx5_vdpa_free() should be able to handle uninitialized resources. This was not the case though: mlx5_vdpa_destroy_mr_resources() and mlx5_cmd_cleanup_async_ctx() were not able to do so. This caused the splat below when adding a vdpa device without a MAC address. This patch fixes these remaining issues: - Makes mlx5_vdpa_destroy_mr_resources() return early if called on uninitialized resources. - Moves mlx5_cmd_init_async_ctx() early on during device addition because it can't fail. This means that mlx5_cmd_cleanup_async_ctx() also can't fail. To mirror this, move the call site of mlx5_cmd_cleanup_async_ctx() in mlx5_vdpa_free(). An additional comment was added in mlx5_vdpa_free() to document the expectations of functions called from this context. Splat: mlx5_core 0000:b5:03.2: mlx5_vdpa_dev_add:3950:(pid 2306) warning: No mac address provisioned? ------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: CPU: 13 PID: 2306 at kernel/workqueue.c:4207 __flush_work+0x9a/0xb0 [...] Call Trace: <TASK> ? __try_to_del_timer_sync+0x61/0x90 ? __timer_delete_sync+0x2b/0x40 mlx5_vdpa_destroy_mr_resources+0x1c/0x40 [mlx5_vdpa] mlx5_vdpa_free+0x45/0x160 [mlx5_vdpa] vdpa_release_dev+0x1e/0x50 [vdpa] device_release+0x31/0x90 kobject_cleanup+0x37/0x130 mlx5_vdpa_dev_add+0x327/0x890 [mlx5_vdpa] vdpa_nl_cmd_dev_add_set_doit+0x2c1/0x4d0 [vdpa] genl_family_rcv_msg_doit+0xd8/0x130 genl_family_rcv_msg+0x14b/0x220 ? __pfx_vdpa_nl_cmd_dev_add_set_doit+0x10/0x10 [vdpa] genl_rcv_msg+0x47/0xa0 ? __pfx_genl_rcv_msg+0x10/0x10 netlink_rcv_skb+0x53/0x100 genl_rcv+0x24/0x40 netlink_unicast+0x27b/0x3b0 netlink_sendmsg+0x1f7/0x430 __sys_sendto+0x1fa/0x210 ? ___pte_offset_map+0x17/0x160 ? next_uptodate_folio+0x85/0x2b0 ? percpu_counter_add_batch+0x51/0x90 ? filemap_map_pages+0x515/0x660 __x64_sys_sendto+0x20/0x30 do_syscall_64+0x7b/0x2c0 ? do_read_fault+0x108/0x220 ? do_pte_missing+0x14a/0x3e0 ? __handle_mm_fault+0x321/0x730 ? count_memcg_events+0x13f/0x180 ? handle_mm_fault+0x1fb/0x2d0 ? do_user_addr_fault+0x20c/0x700 ? syscall_exit_work+0x104/0x140 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e RIP: 0033:0x7f0c25b0feca [...] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---

MediumCVSS 5.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Aug 22, 2025
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
0.1% · 5th 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%

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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 kernel6.12.1 and later · before 6.12.42
  • linux linux kernel6.13 and later · before 6.15.10
  • linux linux kernel6.16 and later · before 6.16.1
  • linux linux kernel6.12

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

    • 6.12affected
    • 83e445e64f48bdae3f25013e788fcf592f142576 and later · before 37f26b9013b46457b0a96633fc3a7dc977d8beb1affected · git
    • 83e445e64f48bdae3f25013e788fcf592f142576 and later · before cf4fc23d0d3d5b89b36f0d79f2674510bb574d8eaffected · git
    • 83e445e64f48bdae3f25013e788fcf592f142576 and later · before 6de4ef950dd56a6a81daf92d8a1d864fc6a56971affected · git
    • 83e445e64f48bdae3f25013e788fcf592f142576 and later · before cc51a66815999afb7e9cd845968de4fdf07567b7affected · git
    • before 6.12not affected · semver
    • 6.12.42 and later · up to and including 6.12.*not affected · semver
    • 6.15.10 and later · up to and including 6.15.*not affected · semver
    • 6.16.1 and later · up to and including 6.16.*not affected · semver
    • 6.17 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
Debian:13linuxbefore 6.12.43-16.12.43-1
Debian:14linuxbefore 6.16.3-16.16.3-1

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-2025-38626Aug 22, 2025 · f2fs: fix to trigger foreground gc during f2fs_map_blocks() in lfs mode
    22Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2025-38627Aug 22, 2025 · f2fs: compress: fix UAF of f2fs_inode_info in f2fs_free_dic
    31Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2025-38629Aug 22, 2025 · ALSA: usb: scarlett2: Fix missing NULL check
    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 Linux37f26b9013b46457b0a96633fc3a7dc977d8beb1Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux6de4ef950dd56a6a81daf92d8a1d864fc6a56971Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxcc51a66815999afb7e9cd845968de4fdf07567b7Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxcf4fc23d0d3d5b89b36f0d79f2674510bb574d8eVendor (CNA)
debian:linux6.12.43-1 · Debian:13Package registry (OSV)

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.

EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

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.

  • CVE-2024-50302276 days apartHID: core: zero-initialize the report bufferKEV
    52Plan
  • CVE-2026-52989306 days apartnvmet-tcp: propagate nvmet_tcp_build_pdu_iovec() errors to its callers
    39Monitor
  • CVE-2024-47685305 days apartnetfilter: nf_reject_ipv6: fix nf_reject_ip6_tcphdr_put()
    36Monitor
  • CVE-2026-53225307 days apartsctp: fix uninit-value in __sctp_rcv_asconf_lookup()
    36Monitor
  • CVE-2026-53170307 days apartaccel/ethosu: reject DMA commands with uninitialized length
    35Monitor
  • CVE-2026-43139257 days apartxfrm6: fix uninitialized saddr in xfrm6_get_saddr()
    34Monitor

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-908 · Use of Uninitialized Resource

CVSS vector

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

nvd-primary

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. 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