CVE-2025-38645

Kernel crash via unchecked device-memory pointer

Published Aug 22, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel mlx5 driver allows local users to crash the kernel through device-memory handling. mlx5_init_once() can leave dev->dm as NULL when mlx5_dm_create() fails, yet later device-memory paths dereference it without validation. Reachability requires local interaction with mlx5 hardware; the reported consequence is a kernel crash, with no data exposure or privilege escalation.

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

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel mlx5 driver allows local users to crash the kernel through device-memory handling. mlx5_init_once() can leave dev->dm as NULL when mlx5_dm_create() fails, yet later device-memory paths dereference it without validation. Reachability requires local interaction with mlx5 hardware; the reported consequence is a kernel crash, with no data exposure or privilege escalation.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-38645
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

  1. Aug 22, 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=5.4
  2. Affected versionversion=c9b9dcb430b3cd0ad2b04c360c4e528d73430481 <3046b011d368162b1b9ca9453eee0fea930e0a93
  3. Affected versionversion=c9b9dcb430b3cd0ad2b04c360c4e528d73430481 <4249f1307932f1b6bbb8b7eba60d82f0b7e44430
  4. Affected versionversion=c9b9dcb430b3cd0ad2b04c360c4e528d73430481 <62d7cf455c887941ed6f105cd430ba04ee0b6c9f
  5. Affected versionversion=c9b9dcb430b3cd0ad2b04c360c4e528d73430481 <70f238c902b8c0461ae6fbb8d1a0bbddc4350eea
  6. Affected versionversion=c9b9dcb430b3cd0ad2b04c360c4e528d73430481 <9053a69abfb5680c2a95292b96df5d204bc0776f
  7. Affected versionversion=c9b9dcb430b3cd0ad2b04c360c4e528d73430481 <da899a1fd7c40e2e4302af1db7d0b8540fb22283
  8. Affected versionversion=c9b9dcb430b3cd0ad2b04c360c4e528d73430481 <eebb225fe6c9103293807b8edabcbad59f9589bc

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.4; version=c9b9dcb430b3cd0ad2b04c360c4e528d73430481 <3046b011d368162b1b9ca9453eee0fea930e0a93; version=c9b9dcb430b3cd0ad2b04c360c4e528d73430481 <4249f1307932f1b6bbb8b7eba60d82f0b7e44430; version=c9b9dcb430b3cd0ad2b04c360c4e528d73430481 <62d7cf455c887941ed6f105cd430ba04ee0b6c9f; version=c9b9dcb430b3cd0ad2b04c360c4e528d73430481 <70f238c902b8c0461ae6fbb8d1a0bbddc4350eea; version=c9b9dcb430b3cd0ad2b04c360c4e528d73430481 <9053a69abfb5680c2a95292b96df5d204bc0776f; version=c9b9dcb430b3cd0ad2b04c360c4e528d73430481 <da899a1fd7c40e2e4302af1db7d0b8540fb22283; version=c9b9dcb430b3cd0ad2b04c360c4e528d73430481 <eebb225fe6c9103293807b8edabcbad59f9589bc

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.1Red HatCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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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
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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