# CVE-2025-37916: pds_core: remove write-after-free of client_id

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the pds_core driver allows attackers to cause a system crash or potentially execute code during device removal.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 20 May 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2025-37916, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-37916, GHSA-wj4h-929j-75c8, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2025-37916, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37916

## What is CVE-2025-37916?

CVE-2025-37916 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 20 May 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

pds_core: remove write-after-free of client_id

A use-after-free error popped up in stress testing:

[Mon Apr 21 21:21:33 2025] BUG: KFENCE: use-after-free write in pdsc_auxbus_dev_del+0xef/0x160 [pds_core]
[Mon Apr 21 21:21:33 2025] Use-after-free write at 0x000000007013ecd1 (in kfence-#47):
[Mon Apr 21 21:21:33 2025]  pdsc_auxbus_dev_del+0xef/0x160 [pds_core]
[Mon Apr 21 21:21:33 2025]  pdsc_remove+0xc0/0x1b0 [pds_core]
[Mon Apr 21 21:21:33 2025]  pci_device_remove+0x24/0x70
[Mon Apr 21 21:21:33 2025]  device_release_driver_internal+0x11f/0x180
[Mon Apr 21 21:21:33 2025]  driver_detach+0x45/0x80
[Mon Apr 21 21:21:33 2025]  bus_remove_driver+0x83/0xe0
[Mon Apr 21 21:21:33 2025]  pci_unregister_driver+0x1a/0x80

The actual device uninit usually happens on a separate thread
scheduled after this code runs, but there is no guarantee of order
of thread execution, so this could be a problem.  There's no
actual need to clear the client_id at this point, so simply
remove the offending code.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-37916?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-37916?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-37916 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-37916 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-37916 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-37916 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 20 May 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-37916 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-37916/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-37916/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-37916
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-37916
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-37916

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-37916/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.