Kernel crash via unchecked input-label allocation
Published Aug 22, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026
NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 6.13 through 6.15.9 and 6.16 allows local users to crash the kernel through the Scarlett2 ALSA driver. The scarlett2_input_select_ctl_info() function passes per-input label pointers from kasprintf() to snd_ctl_enum_info() without rejecting a failed allocation. Reaching the flaw requires a supported Scarlett2 USB audio device and low-privilege local access; the resulting kernel Oops interrupts the host.
Summary
What happened
NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 6.13 through 6.15.9 and 6.16 allows local users to crash the kernel through the Scarlett2 ALSA driver. The scarlett2_input_select_ctl_info() function passes per-input label pointers from kasprintf() to snd_ctl_enum_info() without rejecting a failed allocation. Reaching the flaw requires a supported Scarlett2 USB audio device and low-privilege local access; the resulting kernel Oops interrupts the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-38629
- Published
- Aug 22, 2025
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-476, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 22, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=6.13
- Affected versionversion=8eba063b5b2b498ddd01ea6f29fc9b12368c3d53 <2c735fcaee81ad8056960659dc9dc460891e76b0
- Affected versionversion=8eba063b5b2b498ddd01ea6f29fc9b12368c3d53 <d558db85920b124bac36f8a7ddc5de0aa7491bdd
- Affected versionversion=8eba063b5b2b498ddd01ea6f29fc9b12368c3d53 <df485a4b2b3ee5b35c80f990beb554e38a8a5fb1
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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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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