# CVE-2025-38658: nvmet: pci-epf: Do not complete commands twice if nvmet_req_init() fails

> A double completion bug in the Linux kernel NVMe PCI endpoint function driver causes kernel oops and denial of service when processing unsupported commands.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 22 Aug 2025
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2025-38658, GHSA-hw95-chc9-4w36, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38658

## What is CVE-2025-38658?

CVE-2025-38658 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 22 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:

nvmet: pci-epf: Do not complete commands twice if nvmet_req_init() fails

Have nvmet_req_init() and req->execute() complete failed commands.

Description of the problem:
nvmet_req_init() calls __nvmet_req_complete() internally upon failure,
e.g., unsupported opcode, which calls the "queue_response" callback,
this results in nvmet_pci_epf_queue_response() being called, which will
call nvmet_pci_epf_complete_iod() if data_len is 0 or if dma_dir is
different from DMA_TO_DEVICE. This results in a double completion as
nvmet_pci_epf_exec_iod_work() also calls nvmet_pci_epf_complete_iod()
when nvmet_req_init() fails.

Steps to reproduce:
On the host send a command with an unsupported opcode with nvme-cli,
For example the admin command "security receive"
$ sudo nvme security-recv /dev/nvme0n1 -n1 -x4096

This triggers a double completion as nvmet_req_init() fails and
nvmet_pci_epf_queue_response() is called, here iod->dma_dir is still
in the default state of "DMA_NONE" as set by default in
nvmet_pci_epf_alloc_iod(), so nvmet_pci_epf_complete_iod() is called.
Because nvmet_req_init() failed nvmet_pci_epf_complete_iod() is also
called in nvmet_pci_epf_exec_iod_work() leading to a double completion.
This not only sends two completions to the host but also corrupts the
state of the PCI NVMe target leading to kernel oops.

This patch lets nvmet_req_init() and req->execute() complete all failed
commands, and removes the double completion case in
nvmet_pci_epf_exec_iod_work() therefore fixing the edge cases where
double completions occurred.

Weakness: CWE-908 (Use of Uninitialized Resource)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38658?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-38658?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-38658 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38658 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-2025-38658 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-38658 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 22 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-2025-38658 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-2025-38658/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38658/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38658
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38658
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-38658

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38658/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.