CVE-2025-38408 genirq/irq_sim: Initialize work context pointers properly
A null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel's IRQ simulation module can cause a system crash, requiring a kernel patch.
- 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-2025-38408?
CVE-2025-38408 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 25 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:
genirq/irq_sim: Initialize work context pointers properly
Initialize `ops` member's pointers properly by using kzalloc() instead of kmalloc() when allocating the simulation work context. Otherwise the pointers contain random content leading to invalid dereferencing.
Weakness: CWE-476
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38408?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2025-38408?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2025-38408 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38408 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as AZL-70498, BELL-CVE-2025-38408, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38408, GHSA-346m-4qgc-hqv8, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2025-38408, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2025-38408 and 3 more.