# CVE-2025-38210: configfs-tsm-report: Fix NULL dereference of tsm_ops

> A missing check in the Linux kernel configfs-tsm-report module allows a local attacker to trigger a NULL pointer dereference, causing a system crash.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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:** 4 Jul 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2025-38210, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38210, GHSA-x738-fp96-2h57, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2025-38210, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38210

## What is CVE-2025-38210?

CVE-2025-38210 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 4 Jul 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:

configfs-tsm-report: Fix NULL dereference of tsm_ops

Unlike sysfs, the lifetime of configfs objects is controlled by
userspace. There is no mechanism for the kernel to find and delete all
created config-items. Instead, the configfs-tsm-report mechanism has an
expectation that tsm_unregister() can happen at any time and cause
established config-item access to start failing.

That expectation is not fully satisfied. While tsm_report_read(),
tsm_report_{is,is_bin}_visible(), and tsm_report_make_item() safely fail
if tsm_ops have been unregistered, tsm_report_privlevel_store()
tsm_report_provider_show() fail to check for ops registration. Add the
missing checks for tsm_ops having been removed.

Now, in supporting the ability for tsm_unregister() to always succeed,
it leaves the problem of what to do with lingering config-items. The
expectation is that the admin that arranges for the ->remove() (unbind)
of the ${tsm_arch}-guest driver is also responsible for deletion of all
open config-items. Until that deletion happens, ->probe() (reload /
bind) of the ${tsm_arch}-guest driver fails.

This allows for emergency shutdown / revocation of attestation
interfaces, and requires coordinated restart.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38210?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-38210?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-38210 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38210 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-2025-38210 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-38210 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 4 Jul 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-2025-38210 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-2025-38210/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38210/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38210
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38210
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-38210

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38210/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.