# CVE-2025-38252: cxl/ras: Fix CPER handler device confusion

> A flaw in the Linux kernel CXL RAS handler causes crashes due to incorrect device assumptions, leading to denial of service.

- **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:** 9 Jul 2025
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2025-38252, GHSA-r9h8-qv2j-9qwp, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38252

## What is CVE-2025-38252?

CVE-2025-38252 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 9 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:

cxl/ras: Fix CPER handler device confusion

By inspection, cxl_cper_handle_prot_err() is making a series of fragile
assumptions that can lead to crashes:

1/ It assumes that endpoints identified in the record are a CXL-type-3
   device, nothing guarantees that.

2/ It assumes that the device is bound to the cxl_pci driver, nothing
   guarantees that.

3/ Minor, it holds the device lock over the switch-port tracing for no
   reason as the trace is 100% generated from data in the record.

Correct those by checking that the PCIe endpoint parents a cxl_memdev
before assuming the format of the driver data, and move the lock to where
it is required. Consequently this also makes the implementation ready for
CXL accelerators that are not bound to cxl_pci.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38252?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-38252?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-38252 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38252 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-2025-38252 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-38252 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 9 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-2025-38252 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-2025-38252/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38252/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38252
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38252
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-38252

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38252/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.