CVE-2025-38229

Availability loss via uninitialized cxusb transfer result

Published Jul 4, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Use of an uninitialized value in the Linux cxusb driver allows local users to cause availability loss through I2C writes. After dvb_usb_generic_rw skips the read because the preceding bulk write fails, cxusb_i2c_xfer still derives a transfer result from the untouched rbuf byte. Reachability requires low-privileged local device access, a cxusb-supported DVB USB device, and a failed bulk write.

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

What happened

Use of an uninitialized value in the Linux cxusb driver allows local users to cause availability loss through I2C writes. After dvb_usb_generic_rw skips the read because the preceding bulk write fails, cxusb_i2c_xfer still derives a transfer result from the untouched rbuf byte. Reachability requires low-privileged local device access, a cxusb-supported DVB USB device, and a failed bulk write.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38229
Published
Jul 4, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-908
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 4, 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=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <04354c529c8246a38ae28f713fd6bfdc028113bc
  2. Affected versionversion=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <390b864e3281802109dfe56e508396683e125653
  3. Affected versionversion=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <41807a5f67420464ac8ee7741504f6b5decb3b7c
  4. Affected versionversion=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <73fb3b92da84637e3817580fa205d48065924e15
  5. Affected versionversion=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <77829a5f5a74026b888b0529628475b29750cef4
  6. Affected versionversion=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <84eca597baa346f09b30accdaeca10ced3eeba2d
  7. Affected versionversion=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <8b35b50b7e98d8e9a0a27257c8424448afae10de
  8. Affected versionversion=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <9bff888c92f5c25effbb876d22a793c2388c1ccc
  9. Affected versionversion=2.6.13

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <04354c529c8246a38ae28f713fd6bfdc028113bc; version=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <390b864e3281802109dfe56e508396683e125653; version=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <41807a5f67420464ac8ee7741504f6b5decb3b7c; version=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <73fb3b92da84637e3817580fa205d48065924e15; version=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <77829a5f5a74026b888b0529628475b29750cef4; version=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <84eca597baa346f09b30accdaeca10ced3eeba2d; version=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <8b35b50b7e98d8e9a0a27257c8424448afae10de; version=22c6d93a73105fddd58796d7cb10f5f90ee2a338 <9bff888c92f5c25effbb876d22a793c2388c1ccc; version=2.6.13

Published CVSS scores

5.5UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.0Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-908Use of Uninitialized Resource

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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