CVE-2025-38122

Kernel crash via unchecked failed packet allocation

Published Jul 3, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

A NULL pointer dereference in the Linux gve TX DQO path allows local users to crash the kernel during low-memory packet transmission. gve_tx_add_skb_dqo() dereferences the result of gve_alloc_pending_packet() without checking whether allocation returned NULL. The path requires a Google Virtual Ethernet device using DQO, and impact is limited to availability when packet-metadata allocation fails.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A NULL pointer dereference in the Linux gve TX DQO path allows local users to crash the kernel during low-memory packet transmission. gve_tx_add_skb_dqo() dereferences the result of gve_alloc_pending_packet() without checking whether allocation returned NULL. The path requires a Google Virtual Ethernet device using DQO, and impact is limited to availability when packet-metadata allocation fails.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38122
Published
Jul 3, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 3, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 11, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.14
  2. Affected versionversion=a57e5de476be0b4b7f42beb6a21c19ad9c577aa3 <12c331b29c7397ac3b03584e12902990693bc248
  3. Affected versionversion=a57e5de476be0b4b7f42beb6a21c19ad9c577aa3 <2e5ead9e4e91fbe7799bd38afd8904543be1cb51
  4. Affected versionversion=a57e5de476be0b4b7f42beb6a21c19ad9c577aa3 <7f6265fce3bd424ded666481b37f106d7915fb6b
  5. Affected versionversion=a57e5de476be0b4b7f42beb6a21c19ad9c577aa3 <a0319c9b1648a67511e947a596ca86888451c0a7
  6. Affected versionversion=a57e5de476be0b4b7f42beb6a21c19ad9c577aa3 <ae98a1787fdcb0096d122bc80d93c3c7d812c04b
  7. Affected versionversion=a57e5de476be0b4b7f42beb6a21c19ad9c577aa3 <c741a7ef68023ac800054e2131c3e22e647fd7e3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.14; version=a57e5de476be0b4b7f42beb6a21c19ad9c577aa3 <12c331b29c7397ac3b03584e12902990693bc248; version=a57e5de476be0b4b7f42beb6a21c19ad9c577aa3 <2e5ead9e4e91fbe7799bd38afd8904543be1cb51; version=a57e5de476be0b4b7f42beb6a21c19ad9c577aa3 <7f6265fce3bd424ded666481b37f106d7915fb6b; version=a57e5de476be0b4b7f42beb6a21c19ad9c577aa3 <a0319c9b1648a67511e947a596ca86888451c0a7; version=a57e5de476be0b4b7f42beb6a21c19ad9c577aa3 <ae98a1787fdcb0096d122bc80d93c3c7d812c04b; version=a57e5de476be0b4b7f42beb6a21c19ad9c577aa3 <c741a7ef68023ac800054e2131c3e22e647fd7e3

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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