CVE-2025-38531 iio: common: st_sensors: Fix use of uninitialize device structs
A use of uninitialized device structs in the Linux kernel IIO subsystem can cause a kernel panic, leading to denial of service.
- 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-2025-38531?
CVE-2025-38531 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:
iio: common: st_sensors: Fix use of uninitialize device structs
Throughout the various probe functions &indio_dev->dev is used before it is initialized. This caused a kernel panic in st_sensors_power_enable() when the call to devm_regulator_bulk_get_enable() fails and then calls dev_err_probe() with the uninitialized device.
This seems to only cause a panic with dev_err_probe(), dev_err(), dev_warn() and dev_info() don't seem to cause a panic, but are fixed as well.
The issue is reported and traced here: [1]
Weakness: CWE-908
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38531?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2025-38531?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2025-38531 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38531 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as AZL-66362, AZL-70454, BELL-CVE-2025-38531, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38531, GHSA-f266-g682-96xf, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2025-38531 and 5 more.