# CVE-2025-38522: sched/ext: Prevent update_locked_rq() calls with NULL rq

> A null pointer dereference in the Linux kernel scheduler can cause a system crash when update_locked_rq is called with a NULL runqueue.

- **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:** 16 Aug 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2025-38522, GHSA-8mqg-35g3-7pvm, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38522

## What is CVE-2025-38522?

CVE-2025-38522 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 16 Aug 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:

sched/ext: Prevent update_locked_rq() calls with NULL rq

Avoid invoking update_locked_rq() when the runqueue (rq) pointer is NULL
in the SCX_CALL_OP and SCX_CALL_OP_RET macros.

Previously, calling update_locked_rq(NULL) with preemption enabled could
trigger the following warning:

    BUG: using __this_cpu_write() in preemptible [00000000]

This happens because __this_cpu_write() is unsafe to use in preemptible
context.

rq is NULL when an ops invoked from an unlocked context. In such cases, we
don't need to store any rq, since the value should already be NULL
(unlocked). Ensure that update_locked_rq() is only called when rq is
non-NULL, preventing calling __this_cpu_write() on preemptible context.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38522?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-38522?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-38522 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38522 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-2025-38522 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-38522 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 16 Aug 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-2025-38522 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-2025-38522/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38522/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38522
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38522
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-38522

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38522/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.