# CVE-2025-37981: scsi: smartpqi: Use is_kdump_kernel() to check for kdump

> A flaw in the Linux kernel smartpqi driver causes memory corruption during kexec reboots, potentially leading to system instability or crashes.

- **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-2025-37981, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-37981, GHSA-mxpf-w6j6-89w2, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37981

## What is CVE-2025-37981?

CVE-2025-37981 is a high-severity memory corruption 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:

scsi: smartpqi: Use is_kdump_kernel() to check for kdump

The smartpqi driver checks the reset_devices variable to determine
whether special adjustments need to be made for kdump. This has the
effect that after a regular kexec reboot, some driver parameters such as
max_transfer_size are much lower than usual. More importantly, kexec
reboot tests have revealed memory corruption caused by the driver log
being written to system memory after a kexec.

Fix this by testing is_kdump_kernel() rather than reset_devices where
appropriate.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-37981?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-37981?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-37981 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-37981 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-2025-37981 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-37981 is a high-severity memory corruption 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-2025-37981 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-2025-37981/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-37981/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-37981
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-37981
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-37981

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-37981/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.