CVE-2025-38064 virtio: break and reset virtio devices on device_shutdown()
A flaw in the Linux kernel virtio driver causes system hangs during kexec when virtio-console is active, requiring a patch to properly reset devices.
- 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-2025-38064?
CVE-2025-38064 is a high-severity denial of service 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:
virtio: break and reset virtio devices on device_shutdown()
Hongyu reported a hang on kexec in a VM. QEMU reported invalid memory accesses during the hang.
Invalid read at addr 0x102877002, size 2, region '(null)', reason: rejected Invalid write at addr 0x102877A44, size 2, region '(null)', reason: rejected ...
It was traced down to virtio-console. Kexec works fine if virtio-console is not in use.
The issue is that virtio-console continues to write to the MMIO even after underlying virtio-pci device is reset.
Additionally, Eric noticed that IOMMUs are reset before devices, if devices are not reset on shutdown they continue to poke at guest memory and get errors from the IOMMU. Some devices get wedged then.
The problem can be solved by breaking all virtio devices on virtio bus shutdown, then resetting them.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38064?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2025-38064?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade, then put limits on request size, rate and nesting depth so one client cannot exhaust the service. More about Denial of service.
Is CVE-2025-38064 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38064 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as AZL-63986, AZL-70295, BELL-CVE-2025-38064, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38064, GHSA-3cmh-pcxh-6v9p, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2025-38064 and 5 more.