CVE-2025-38053 idpf: fix null-ptr-deref in idpf_features_check
A null pointer dereference in the idpf network driver can cause a kernel crash during device reset, leading to denial of service.
- 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
What is CVE-2025-38053?
CVE-2025-38053 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 18 Jun 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:
idpf: fix null-ptr-deref in idpf_features_check
idpf_features_check is used to validate the TX packet. skb header length is compared with the hardware supported value received from the device control plane. The value is stored in the adapter structure and to access it, vport pointer is used. During reset all the vports are released and the vport pointer that the netdev private structure points to is NULL.
To avoid null-ptr-deref, store the max header length value in netdev private structure. This also helps to cache the value and avoid accessing adapter pointer in hot path.
BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000068 ... RIP: 0010:idpf_features_check+0x6d/0xe0 [idpf] Call Trace: <TASK> ? __die+0x23/0x70 ? page_fault_oops+0x154/0x520 ? exc_page_fault+0x76/0x190 ? asm_exc_page_fault+0x26/0x30 ? idpf_features_check+0x6d/0xe0 [idpf] netif_skb_features+0x88/0x310 validate_xmit_skb+0x2a/0x2b0 validate_xmit_skb_list+0x4c/0x70 sch_direct_xmit+0x19d/0x3a0 __dev_queue_xmit+0xb74/0xe70 ...
Weakness: CWE-476
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38053?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2025-38053?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2025-38053 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38053 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2025-38053, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38053, GHSA-6mcw-5v7q-f6q5, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2025-38053, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38053.