CVE-2025-38490
BaseFortify
Publication date: 2025-07-28
Last updated on: 2025-11-19
Assigner: kernel.org
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.16 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.16 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.16 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.16 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.16 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.16 |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc) |
| linux | linux_kernel | From 5.15.160 (inc) to 5.16 (inc) |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-415 | The product calls free() twice on the same memory address. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
This vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves a redundant call to the function page_pool_put_full_page(), which is intended to be used only when freeing Rx buffers or building a skb if the size is too short. The original code mistakenly called this function twice on the same page, causing a double free of pages. This double free leads to kernel panic and system instability due to memory corruption.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
The vulnerability can cause a kernel panic, which results in the Linux system crashing or becoming unstable. This can lead to denial of service as the system may reboot or halt unexpectedly, affecting availability and reliability of services running on the affected system.
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
This vulnerability can be detected by monitoring the system logs for kernel panic messages or warnings related to double free pages and list corruption. Specifically, look for kernel panic traces mentioning 'page_pool_put_full_page()', 'list_del corruption', or warnings from 'lib/list_debug.c'. Commands such as 'dmesg | grep -i panic', 'dmesg | grep -i list_del', or 'journalctl -k | grep -i error' can help identify these issues in the kernel logs.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
The immediate step to mitigate this vulnerability is to update the Linux kernel to a version where the redundant page_pool_put_full_page() call has been removed and the double free issue fixed. Until the update is applied, monitoring for kernel panics and avoiding workloads that trigger the issue may reduce impact, but the primary mitigation is applying the patched kernel.