CVE-2025-38673 Details
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Revert "drm/gem-framebuffer: Use dma_buf from GEM object instance" This reverts commit cce16fcd7446dcff7480cd9d2b6417075ed81065. The dma_buf field in struct drm_gem_object is not stable over the object instance's lifetime. The field becomes NULL when user space releases the final GEM handle on the buffer object. This resulted in a NULL-pointer deref. Workarounds in commit 5307dce878d4 ("drm/gem: Acquire references on GEM handles for framebuffers") and commit f6bfc9afc751 ("drm/framebuffer: Acquire internal references on GEM handles") only solved the problem partially. They especially don't work for buffer objects without a DRM framebuffer associated. Hence, this revert to going back to using .import_attach->dmabuf. v3: - cc stable
A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability has been identified in the Linux kernel's Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) Graphics Execution Manager (GEM) framebuffer handling. This issue arises because the dma_buf field in the drm_gem_object structure is not stable throughout the object's lifetime. When the user space releases the final GEM handle on a buffer object, the field can become NULL, leading to a dereference of a NULL pointer. Although workarounds were attempted, they only partially addressed the issue and do not work for buffer objects without an associated DRM framebuffer.
Users can upgrade to the latest version of the Linux kernel where this vulnerability has been addressed. Instructions for upgrading can be found in the official Linux kernel documentation.
Metrics
CVSS 4.0 Severity and Vector Strings:
No CVSS 4.0 data is available for this CVE.
CVSS 3.x Severity and Vector Strings:
No data available for CVSS Version 2.0 on this CVE.
No SSVC data is available for this CVE.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
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| URL | Source(s) | Tag(s) |
|---|---|---|
| https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2712ca878b688682ac2ce02aefc413fc76019cd9 | kernel.org | Patch |
| https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e31f5a1c2cd38bf977736cdfa79444e19d4005ec | kernel.org | Patch |
Weakness Enumeration
| CWE-ID | CWE Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| CWE-476 | NULL Pointer Dereference | [email protected] |
Affected Products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
| linux linux kernel | >= 6.15, < 6.15.9 6.16 rc1 6.16 rc2 6.16 rc3 6.16 rc4 6.16 rc5 6.16 rc6 6.16 rc7 |
CPE
Remediation
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Change History
3 change records found show changes
| Date | Action | Recorded By |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 17, 2026 | CVE Modified | kernel.org |
| Nov 25, 2025 | Initial Analysis | [email protected] |
| Aug 22, 2025 | New CVE Received | kernel.org |