Analytical use of cookies
CVE-2025-38594: linux kernel vulnerability
CVE-2025-38594: high vulnerability affecting linux kernel. Check CVSS, KEV status, business impact and recommended administrator actions.
- CVSS
- 7.8 HIGH
- EPSS
- 4.98%
- Known exploited
- not in KEV
- Product
- linux kernel
What is known
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: iommu/vt-d: Fix UAF on sva unbind with pending IOPFs Commit 17fce9d2336d ("iommu/vt-d: Put iopf enablement in domain attach path") disables IOPF on device by removing the device from its IOMMU's IOPF queue when the last IOPF-capable domain is detached from the device. Unfortunately, it did this in a wrong place where there are still pending IOPFs. As a result, a use-after-free error is potentially triggered and eventually a kernel panic with a kernel trace similar to the following: refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free. WARNING: CPU: 3 PID: 313 at lib/refcount.c:28 refcount_warn_saturate+0xd8/0xe0 Workqueue: iopf_queue/dmar0-iopfq iommu_sva_handle_iopf Call Trace: <TASK> iopf_free_group+0xe/0x20 process_one_work+0x197/0x3d0 worker_thread+0x23a/0x350 ? rescuer_thread+0x4a0/0x4a0 kthread+0xf8/0x230 ? finish_task_switch.isra.0+0x81/0x260 ? kthreads_online_cpu+0x110/0x110 ? kthreads_online_cpu+0x110/0x110 ret_from_fork+0x13b/0x170 ? kthreads_online_cpu+0x110/0x110 ret_from_fork_asm+0x11/0x20 </TASK> ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- The intel_pasid_tear_down_entry() function is responsible for blocking hardware from generating new page faults and flushing all in-flight ones. Therefore, moving iopf_for_domain_remove() after this function should resolve this.
Business impact
Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-38594, a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) 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.