CVE-2025-38595
Unknown Unknown - Not Provided
BaseFortify

Publication date: 2025-08-19

Last updated on: 2025-11-26

Assigner: kernel.org

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xen: fix UAF in dmabuf_exp_from_pages() [dma_buf_fd() fixes; no preferences regarding the tree it goes through - up to xen folks] As soon as we'd inserted a file reference into descriptor table, another thread could close it. That's fine for the case when all we are doing is returning that descriptor to userland (it's a race, but it's a userland race and there's nothing the kernel can do about it). However, if we follow fd_install() with any kind of access to objects that would be destroyed on close (be it the struct file itself or anything destroyed by its ->release()), we have a UAF. dma_buf_fd() is a combination of reserving a descriptor and fd_install(). gntdev dmabuf_exp_from_pages() calls it and then proceeds to access the objects destroyed on close - starting with gntdev_dmabuf itself. Fix that by doing reserving descriptor before anything else and do fd_install() only when everything had been set up.
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
Probability:
Percentile:
Meta Information
Published
2025-08-19
Last Modified
2025-11-26
Generated
2026-05-06
AI Q&A
2025-08-19
EPSS Evaluated
2026-05-05
NVD
CVE-2025-38595
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 3 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
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
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-416 The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?

This vulnerability is a use-after-free (UAF) issue in the Linux kernel's xen subsystem, specifically in the dmabuf_exp_from_pages() function. The problem occurs because after inserting a file reference into the descriptor table, another thread could close it, leading to a race condition. If the kernel accesses objects that are destroyed upon closing the file descriptor (such as the struct file or related resources), it results in a use-after-free error. The fix involves reserving the descriptor before any other operations and only installing the file descriptor after all setup is complete, preventing access to freed objects.


How can this vulnerability impact me? :

This use-after-free vulnerability can lead to undefined behavior in the kernel, including potential crashes, memory corruption, or escalation of privileges. Exploiting this flaw could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code within the kernel context or cause denial of service by crashing the system.


Ask Our AI Assistant
Need more information? Ask your question to get an AI reply (Powered by our expertise)
0/70
EPSS Chart