Linux KernelOperating system · Linux

CVE-2025-38532

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-08-16

Fix available

A fix is available. Upgrade to 6.6.100 / 6.12.40 or later.

See remediation →

57/100

Remediation priority · Elevated

Zero-click Patch available

Official description

NVD · unedited

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: libwx: properly reset Rx ring descriptor When device reset is triggered by feature changes such as toggling Rx VLAN offload, wx->do_reset() is called to reinitialize Rx rings. The hardware descriptor ring may retain stale values from previous sessions. And only set the length to 0 in rx_desc[0] would result in building malformed SKBs. Fix it to ensure a clean slate after device reset. [ 549.186435] [ C16] ------------[ cut here ]------------ [ 549.186457] [ C16] kernel BUG at net/core/skbuff.c:2814! [ 549.186468] [ C16] Oops: invalid opcode: 0000 [#1] SMP NOPTI [ 549.186472] [ C16] CPU: 16 UID: 0 PID: 0 Comm: swapper/16 Kdump: loaded Not tainted 6.16.0-rc4+ #23 PREEMPT(voluntary) [ 549.186476] [ C16] Hardware name: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. MS-7E16/X670E GAMING PLUS WIFI (MS-7E16), BIOS 1.90 12/31/2024 [ 549.186478] [ C16] RIP: 0010:__pskb_pull_tail+0x3ff/0x510 [ 549.186484] [ C16] Code: 06 f0 ff 4f 34 74 7b 4d 8b 8c 24 c8 00 00 00 45 8b 84 24 c0 00 00 00 e9 c8 fd ff ff 48 c7 44 24 08 00 00 00 00 e9 5e fe ff ff <0f> 0b 31 c0 e9 23 90 5b ff 41 f7 c6 ff 0f 00 00 75 bf 49 8b 06 a8 [ 549.186487] [ C16] RSP: 0018:ffffb391c0640d70 EFLAGS: 00010282 [ 549.186490] [ C16] RAX: 00000000fffffff2 RBX: ffff8fe7e4d40200 RCX: 00000000fffffff2 [ 549.186492] [ C16] RDX: ffff8fe7c3a4bf8e RSI: 0000000000000180 RDI: ffff8fe7c3a4bf40 [ 549.186494] [ C16] RBP: ffffb391c0640da8 R08: ffff8fe7c3a4c0c0 R09: 000000000000000e [ 549.186496] [ C16] R10: ffffb391c0640d88 R11: 000000000000000e R12: ffff8fe7e4d40200 [ 549.186497] [ C16] R13: 00000000fffffff2 R14: ffff8fe7fa01a000 R15: 00000000fffffff2 [ 549.186499] [ C16] FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff8fef5ae40000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [ 549.186502] [ C16] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [ 549.186503] [ C16] CR2: 00007f77d81d6000 CR3: 000000051a032000 CR4: 0000000000750ef0 [ 549.186505] [ C16] PKRU: 55555554 [ 549.186507] [ C16] Call Trace: [ 549.186510] [ C16] <IRQ> [ 549.186513] [ C16] ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5 [ 549.186517] [ C16] __skb_pad+0xc7/0xf0 [ 549.186523] [ C16] wx_clean_rx_irq+0x355/0x3b0 [libwx] [ 549.186533] [ C16] wx_poll+0x92/0x120 [libwx] [ 549.186540] [ C16] __napi_poll+0x28/0x190 [ 549.186544] [ C16] net_rx_action+0x301/0x3f0 [ 549.186548] [ C16] ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5 [ 549.186551] [ C16] ? __raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x1e/0x50 [ 549.186554] [ C16] ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5 [ 549.186557] [ C16] ? wake_up_nohz_cpu+0x35/0x160 [ 549.186559] [ C16] ? srso_alias_return_thunk+0x5/0xfbef5 [ 549.186563] [ C16] handle_softirqs+0xf9/0x2c0 [ 549.186568] [ C16] __irq_exit_rcu+0xc7/0x130 [ 549.186572] [ C16] common_interrupt+0xb8/0xd0 [ 549.186576] [ C16] </IRQ> [ 549.186577] [ C16] <TASK> [ 549.186579] [ C16] asm_common_interrupt+0x22/0x40 [ 549.186582] [ C16] RIP: 0010:cpuidle_enter_state+0xc2/0x420 [ 549.186585] [ C16] Code: 00 00 e8 11 0e 5e ff e8 ac f0 ff ff 49 89 c5 0f 1f 44 00 00 31 ff e8 0d ed 5c ff 45 84 ff 0f 85 40 02 00 00 fb 0f 1f 44 00 00 <45> 85 f6 0f 88 84 01 00 00 49 63 d6 48 8d 04 52 48 8d 04 82 49 8d [ 549.186587] [ C16] RSP: 0018:ffffb391c0277e78 EFLAGS: 00000246 [ 549.186590] [ C16] RAX: ffff8fef5ae40000 RBX: 0000000000000003 RCX: 0000000000000000 [ 549.186591] [ C16] RDX: 0000007fde0faac5 RSI: ffffffff826e53f6 RDI: ffffffff826fa9b3 [ 549.186593] [ C16] RBP: ffff8fe7c3a20800 R08: 0000000000000002 R09: 0000000000000000 [ 549.186595] [ C16] R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 000000000000ffff R12: ffffffff82ed7a40 [ 549.186596] [ C16] R13: 0000007fde0faac5 R14: 0000000000000003 R15: 0000000000000000 [ 549.186601] [ C16] ? cpuidle_enter_state+0xb3/0x420 [ 549.186605] [ C16] cpuidle_en ---truncated---

Technical summary

dbcve analysis

A detailed technical summary for this CVE is being prepared.

Affected products & versions

NVD · CPE data

Linux KernelOperating system

Affected:>= 6.3, < 6.6.100>= 6.7, < 6.12.40>= 6.13, < 6.15.8= 6.16

CVSS breakdown

From the vector

Attack vector: Local
Complexity: Low
Privileges: Low
User interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: None
Integrity: None
Availability: High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Remediation

dbcve · scoped

Upgrade available Upgrade to 6.6.100 / 6.12.40 / 6.15.8 or later

Fixed in 6.6.1006.12.406.15.8

Vendor patch git.kernel.org →

Recommended fix High confidence

Kernel 6.6.100+, 6.12.40+, 6.15.8+, or 6.17+ (depending on which branch you are on)

Identify the current kernel version using `uname -r` or `cat /proc/version`
Determine the appropriate upgrade path based on current version: If running 6.3.x to 6.5.x, upgrade to kernel >= 6.6.100; If running 6.6.x to 6.7.x, upgrade to kernel >= 6.12.40; If running 6.8.x to 6.12.x, upgrade to kernel >= 6.12.40; If running 6.13.x to 6.15.x, upgrade to kernel >= 6.15.8; If running 6.16.x, upgrade to kernel >= 6.17
Upgrade the Linux kernel using the distribution's package manager (e.g., `apt update && apt install linux-image-*` for Debian/Ubuntu, `dnf update kernel` for Fedora/RHEL, or `zypper update kernel` for SUSE)
Reboot the system to load the new kernel using `reboot`
Verify the new kernel is running with `uname -r` and confirm the version includes the fix (>= the appropriate fixed version for your branch)

Caveat Kernel upgrades may require system reboot and could have compatibility implications with proprietary kernel modules or specific hardware drivers; test in staging first

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

We can perform the upgrade in your staging environment and verify nothing breaks — typical engagement from $1,600. Get the upgrade done

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Free · runs locally

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References

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-38532 in production — separate from our analysis above.

Notes0 Guidelines

Know something about CVE-2025-38532?

The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.

The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
A config change or rule that shut the vector down
A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here

Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data

At a glance

A fix existsUpgrade to 6.6.100 / 6.12.40 or later

Severity 5.5 Medium

Exploit likelihood EPSS, next 30 days 0.2%

Affects: Linux Kernel

Remediation

Need this fixed?

Get a fix

Estimated effortfrom ~9 hrs

ComplexityModerate

Typical engagementfrom $1,600

What a fix involves

We scope it with you and confirm a fixed quote
A specialist builds a reviewed fix
You deploy it to staging first
Optional re-test once it’s live

We specialise in CVE remediation. Send your environment and we’ll scope CVE-2025-38532 and return a fixed quote.

You’ll deal with our team directly and deploy the reviewed fix to staging first — never straight to production.

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

Scan for this in your stack

References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Practitioner notes

No notes yet

Official description

Technical summary

Affected products & versions

CVSS breakdown

Remediation

References