# CVE-2025-38596: drm/panthor: Fix UAF in panthor_gem_create_with_handle() debugfs code

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel Panthor GPU driver debugfs code allows attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges.

- **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:** 19 Aug 2025
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2025-38596, GHSA-c5gg-23m2-rg93, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38596

## What is CVE-2025-38596?

CVE-2025-38596 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 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:

drm/panthor: Fix UAF in panthor_gem_create_with_handle() debugfs code

The object is potentially already gone after the drm_gem_object_put().
In general the object should be fully constructed before calling
drm_gem_handle_create(), except the debugfs tracking uses a separate
lock and list and separate flag to denotate whether the object is
actually initialized.

Since I'm touching this all anyway simplify this by only adding the
object to the debugfs when it's ready for that, which allows us to
delete that separate flag. panthor_gem_debugfs_bo_rm() already checks
whether we've actually been added to the list or this is some error
path cleanup.

v2: Fix build issues for !CONFIG_DEBUGFS (Adrián)

v3: Add linebreak and remove outdated comment (Liviu)

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38596?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-38596?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-38596 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38596 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-2025-38596 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-38596 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 19 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-2025-38596 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-2025-38596/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38596/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38596
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38596
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-38596

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38596/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.