CVE-2025-38217
MediumIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: hwmon: (ftsteutates) Fix TOCTOU race in fts_read() In the fts_read() function, when handling hwmon_pwm_auto_channels_temp, the code accesses the shared variable data->fan_source[channel] twice without holding any locks. It is first checked against FTS_FAN_SOURCE_INVALID, and if the check passes, it is read again when used as an argument to the BIT() macro. This creates a Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) race condition. Another thread executing fts_update_device() can modify the value of data->fan_source[channel] between the check and its use. If the value is changed to FTS_FAN_SOURCE_INVALID (0xff) during this window, the BIT() macro will be called with a large shift value (BIT(255)). A bit shift by a value greater than or equal to the type width is undefined behavior and can lead to a crash or incorrect values being returned to userspace. Fix this by reading data->fan_source[channel] into a local variable once, eliminating the race condition. Additionally, add a bounds check to ensure the value is less than BITS_PER_LONG before passing it to the BIT() macro, making the code more robust against undefined behavior. This possible bug was found by an experimental static analysis tool developed by our team.
CVSS 3.1 score
4.7
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness type
CWE-367CVE-2025-38217 is classified as CWE-367
See CWE-367 on MITRE CWE for full details on this weakness type.
Affected versions
Linux kernel versions
6.3
and later are affected. Fixed in
6.6.95,
6.12.35,
6.15.4,
6.16
and their respective stable series.
References
The following references provide additional information about CVE-2025-38217 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/14c9ede9ca4cd078ad76a6ab9617b81074eb58bf
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4d646f627d3b7ed1cacca66e598af8bcd632d465
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/83e2ba8971ccd8fc08319fc7593288f070d80a76
Frequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2025-38217?
CVE-2025-38217 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 4.7 out of 10 . It affects Linux kernel versions from 6.3 onward and has been patched in 6.6.95, 6.12.35, 6.15.4 and others. CVE-2025-38217 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
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What is the CVSS score for CVE-2025-38217?
CVE-2025-38217 has a CVSS score of 4.7 out of 10, rated Medium severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. -
Is there a patch available for CVE-2025-38217?
Yes — CVE-2025-38217 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.6.95, 6.12.35, 6.15.4 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 6.3 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2025-38217 actively exploited?
No — CVE-2025-38217 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.