CVE-2025-38033: linux kernel vulnerability

What is known

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: x86/Kconfig: make CFI_AUTO_DEFAULT depend on !RUST or Rust >= 1.88 Calling core::fmt::write() from rust code while FineIBT is enabled results in a kernel panic: [ 4614.199779] kernel BUG at arch/x86/kernel/cet.c:132! [ 4614.205343] Oops: invalid opcode: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP NOPTI [ 4614.211781] CPU: 2 UID: 0 PID: 6057 Comm: dmabuf_dump Tainted: G U O 6.12.17-android16-0-g6ab38c534a43 #1 9da040f27673ec3945e23b998a0f8bd64c846599 [ 4614.227832] Tainted: [U]=USER, [O]=OOT_MODULE [ 4614.241247] RIP: 0010:do_kernel_cp_fault+0xea/0xf0 ... [ 4614.398144] RIP: 0010:_RNvXs5_NtNtNtCs3o2tGsuHyou_4core3fmt3num3impyNtB9_7Display3fmt+0x0/0x20 [ 4614.407792] Code: 48 f7 df 48 0f 48 f9 48 89 f2 89 c6 5d e9 18 fd ff ff 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 f3 0f 1e fa 41 81 ea 14 61 af 2c 74 03 0f 0b 90 <66> 0f 1f 00 55 48 89 e5 48 89 f2 48 8b 3f be 01 00 00 00 5d e9 e7 [ 4614.428775] RSP: 0018:ffffb95acfa4ba68 EFLAGS: 00010246 [ 4614.434609] RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 0000000000000010 RCX: 0000000000000000 [ 4614.442587] RDX: 0000000000000007 RSI: ffffb95acfa4ba70 RDI: ffffb95acfa4bc88 [ 4614.450557] RBP: ffffb95acfa4bae0 R08: ffff0a00ffffff05 R09: 0000000000000070 [ 4614.458527] R10: 0000000000000000 R11: ffffffffab67eaf0 R12: ffffb95acfa4bcc8 [ 4614.466493] R13: ffffffffac5d50f0 R14: 0000000000000000 R15: 0000000000000000 [ 4614.474473] ? __cfi__RNvXs5_NtNtNtCs3o2tGsuHyou_4core3fmt3num3impyNtB9_7Display3fmt+0x10/0x10 [ 4614.484118] ? _RNvNtCs3o2tGsuHyou_4core3fmt5write+0x1d2/0x250 This happens because core::fmt::write() calls core::fmt::rt::Argument::fmt(), which currently has CFI disabled: library/core/src/fmt/rt.rs: 171 // FIXME: Transmuting formatter in new and indirectly branching to/calling 172 // it here is an explicit CFI violation. 173 #[allow(inline_no_sanitize)] 174 #[no_sanitize(cfi, kcfi)] 175 #[inline] 176 pub(super) unsafe fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> Result { This causes a Control Protection exception, because FineIBT has sealed off the original function's endbr64. This makes rust currently incompatible with FineIBT. Add a Kconfig dependency that prevents FineIBT from getting turned on by default if rust is enabled. [ Rust 1.88.0 (scheduled for 2025-06-26) should have this fixed [1], and thus we relaxed the condition with Rust >= 1.88. When `objtool` lands checking for this with e.g. [2], the plan is to ideally run that in upstream Rust's CI to prevent regressions early [3], since we do not control `core`'s source code. Alice tested the Rust PR backported to an older compiler. Peter would like that Rust provides a stable `core` which can be pulled into the kernel: "Relying on that much out of tree code is 'unfortunate'". - Miguel ] [ Reduced splat. - Miguel ]

Business impact

Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-38033, a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.5) affecting linux kernel, may affect the confidentiality, integrity or availability of the vulnerable environment. The exact impact depends on the installed version, exposed interfaces and deployment configuration.

Recommended administrator action

Confirm whether linux kernel is present and compare installed versions with the vendor advisory and NVD record. Apply the vendor patch or documented mitigation; until remediation is complete, reduce exposure of affected interfaces, review relevant logs and monitor for indicators of exploitation. DataHouse can support version verification, managed patching, network exposure reduction, log review and backup validation for dedicated, cloud and colocated environments.

Sources

• NVD
• Reference
• Reference
• Reference