CVE-2025-38240 drm/mediatek: dp: drm_err => dev_err in HPD path to avoid NULL ptr

What is CVE-2025-38240?

CVE-2025-38240 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 18 Apr 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:

drm/mediatek: dp: drm_err => dev_err in HPD path to avoid NULL ptr

The function mtk_dp_wait_hpd_asserted() may be called before the `mtk_dp->drm_dev` pointer is assigned in mtk_dp_bridge_attach(). Specifically it can be called via this callpath: - mtk_edp_wait_hpd_asserted - [panel probe] - dp_aux_ep_probe

Using "drm" level prints anywhere in this callpath causes a NULL pointer dereference. Change the error message directly in mtk_dp_wait_hpd_asserted() to dev_err() to avoid this. Also change the error messages in mtk_dp_parse_capabilities(), which is called by mtk_dp_wait_hpd_asserted().

While touching these prints, also add the error code to them to make future debugging easier.

Weakness: CWE-476

Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38240?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2025-38240?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Is CVE-2025-38240 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38240 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

• CVE-2026-53266 Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2013-6282 Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2022-0185 Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2013-2094 Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2026-53362 Linux Kernel Unspecified Exploited High 7.8

All Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Sources

• CVE record
• NVD
• OSV
• GitHub advisory
• How this page is made

Also known as BELL-CVE-2025-38240, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38240, GHSA-2627-h6q4-h8xq, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2025-38240, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38240.