CVE-2025-38536 net: airoha: fix potential use-after-free in airoha_npu_get()

What is CVE-2025-38536?

CVE-2025-38536 is a high-severity use after free 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:

net: airoha: fix potential use-after-free in airoha_npu_get()

np->name was being used after calling of_node_put(np), which releases the node and can lead to a use-after-free bug. Previously, of_node_put(np) was called unconditionally after of_find_device_by_node(np), which could result in a use-after-free if pdev is NULL.

This patch moves of_node_put(np) after the error check to ensure the node is only released after both the error and success cases are handled appropriately, preventing potential resource issues.

Weakness: CWE-416

Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38536?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2025-38536?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.

Is CVE-2025-38536 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38536 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-2025-38536, GHSA-6x9m-mw8m-fq7f, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38536.