CVE-2025-38284

Kernel crash via NULL PCI mapping write

Published Jul 10, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 6.11 rtw89 PCI support allows physically proximate attackers to crash the kernel. During 36-bit DMA setup, rtw89_pci_cfg_dac falls through to a DBI write when PCI configuration access is unavailable, and rtw89_pci_ops_write16 writes through an unset device mapping. The path requires compatible rtw89 PCI hardware during device probing or hotplug, and the reported consequence is a kernel page fault and service interruption.

CVSS severity4.1
Medium
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 6.11 rtw89 PCI support allows physically proximate attackers to crash the kernel. During 36-bit DMA setup, rtw89_pci_cfg_dac falls through to a DBI write when PCI configuration access is unavailable, and rtw89_pci_ops_write16 writes through an unset device mapping. The path requires compatible rtw89 PCI hardware during device probing or hotplug, and the reported consequence is a kernel page fault and service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38284
Published
Jul 10, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 10, 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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=1fd4b3fe52efd5ad1647966f619c10988e7a4457 <a70cf04b08f44f41bce14659aa7012674b15d9de
  2. Affected versionversion=1fd4b3fe52efd5ad1647966f619c10988e7a4457 <e1e0f046041474004dc6ebce5ce1d3e86556291d
  3. Affected versionversion=6.11

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1fd4b3fe52efd5ad1647966f619c10988e7a4457 <a70cf04b08f44f41bce14659aa7012674b15d9de; version=1fd4b3fe52efd5ad1647966f619c10988e7a4457 <e1e0f046041474004dc6ebce5ce1d3e86556291d; version=6.11

Published CVSS scores

5.5CanonicalCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.1CanonicalCVSS:4.0/AV:P/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo