CVE-2025-38602

Kernel crash via unchecked workqueue allocation

Published Aug 19, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Unchecked return value in the Linux iwlwifi DVM driver allows local users to crash the kernel after a workqueue allocation failure. drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/dvm/main.c stores the alloc_ordered_workqueue() result without checking whether it is NULL before later workqueue use. Reachability requires the iwlwifi DVM driver and a failed ordered-workqueue allocation; the documented consequence is availability loss only.

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

Unchecked return value in the Linux iwlwifi DVM driver allows local users to crash the kernel after a workqueue allocation failure. drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/dvm/main.c stores the alloc_ordered_workqueue() result without checking whether it is NULL before later workqueue use. Reachability requires the iwlwifi DVM driver and a failed ordered-workqueue allocation; the documented consequence is availability loss only.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38602
Published
Aug 19, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-252, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 19, 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=2.6.24
  2. Affected versionversion=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <2e9f85ee3b46453a2f250a57d3a9f10c70c71202
  3. Affected versionversion=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <6663c52608d8d8727bf1911e6d9218069ba1c85e
  4. Affected versionversion=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <70a1b527eaea9430b1bd87de59f3b9f6bd225701
  5. Affected versionversion=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <7dd6350307af6521b6240b295c93b7eec4daebe6
  6. Affected versionversion=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <90a0d9f339960448a3acc1437a46730f975efd6a
  7. Affected versionversion=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <b398120fbe0acfef60b16f6a0f69902d385d7728
  8. Affected versionversion=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <c0e43c3f6c0a79381b468574c241065998412b7c
  9. Affected versionversion=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <c80832d445653baba5ac80cd2c2637c437ac881b
  10. Affected versionversion=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <ca980f1911a7144d451d1c31298ab8507c6bd88f

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=2.6.24; version=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <2e9f85ee3b46453a2f250a57d3a9f10c70c71202; version=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <6663c52608d8d8727bf1911e6d9218069ba1c85e; version=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <70a1b527eaea9430b1bd87de59f3b9f6bd225701; version=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <7dd6350307af6521b6240b295c93b7eec4daebe6; version=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <90a0d9f339960448a3acc1437a46730f975efd6a; version=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <b398120fbe0acfef60b16f6a0f69902d385d7728; version=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <c0e43c3f6c0a79381b468574c241065998412b7c; version=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <c80832d445653baba5ac80cd2c2637c437ac881b; version=b481de9ca074528fe8c429604e2777db8b89806a <ca980f1911a7144d451d1c31298ab8507c6bd88f

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.4Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/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 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-252Unchecked Return Value
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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