CVE-2025-38610: linux kernel vulnerability

What is known

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: powercap: dtpm_cpu: Fix NULL pointer dereference in get_pd_power_uw() The get_pd_power_uw() function can crash with a NULL pointer dereference when em_cpu_get() returns NULL. This occurs when a CPU becomes impossible during runtime, causing get_cpu_device() to return NULL, which propagates through em_cpu_get() and leads to a crash when em_span_cpus() dereferences the NULL pointer. Add a NULL check after em_cpu_get() and return 0 if unavailable, matching the existing fallback behavior in __dtpm_cpu_setup(). [ rjw: Drop an excess empty code line ]

Business impact

Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-38610, 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
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