# CVE-2025-38682: i2c: core: Fix double-free of fwnode in i2c_unregister_device()

> A double-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's I2C subsystem allows attackers to cause a use-after-free, potentially leading to system crashes or arbitrary code execution.

- **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:** 4 Sep 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2025-38682, GHSA-w6pp-p9r9-cvm4, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38682

## What is CVE-2025-38682?

CVE-2025-38682 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 4 Sep 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:

i2c: core: Fix double-free of fwnode in i2c_unregister_device()

Before commit df6d7277e552 ("i2c: core: Do not dereference fwnode in struct
device"), i2c_unregister_device() only called fwnode_handle_put() on
of_node-s in the form of calling of_node_put(client->dev.of_node).

But after this commit the i2c_client's fwnode now unconditionally gets
fwnode_handle_put() on it.

When the i2c_client has no primary (ACPI / OF) fwnode but it does have
a software fwnode, the software-node will be the primary node and
fwnode_handle_put() will put() it.

But for the software fwnode device_remove_software_node() will also put()
it leading to a double free:

[   82.665598] ------------[ cut here ]------------
[   82.665609] refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free.
[   82.665808] WARNING: CPU: 3 PID: 1502 at lib/refcount.c:28 refcount_warn_saturate+0xba/0x11
...
[   82.666830] RIP: 0010:refcount_warn_saturate+0xba/0x110
...
[   82.666962]  <TASK>
[   82.666971]  i2c_unregister_device+0x60/0x90

Fix this by not calling fwnode_handle_put() when the primary fwnode is
a software-node.

Weakness: CWE-415 (Double Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38682?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-38682?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-38682 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38682 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-2025-38682 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-38682 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 4 Sep 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-2025-38682 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-2025-38682/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38682/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38682
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38682
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-38682

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38682/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.