CVE-2025-38263
MediumIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bcache: fix NULL pointer in cache_set_flush() 1. LINE#1794 - LINE#1887 is some codes about function of bch_cache_set_alloc(). 2. LINE#2078 - LINE#2142 is some codes about function of register_cache_set(). 3. register_cache_set() will call bch_cache_set_alloc() in LINE#2098. 1794 struct cache_set *bch_cache_set_alloc(struct cache_sb *sb) 1795 { ... 1860 if (!(c->devices = kcalloc(c->nr_uuids, sizeof(void *), GFP_KERNEL)) || 1861 mempool_init_slab_pool(&c->search, 32, bch_search_cache) || 1862 mempool_init_kmalloc_pool(&c->bio_meta, 2, 1863 sizeof(struct bbio) + sizeof(struct bio_vec) * 1864 bucket_pages(c)) || 1865 mempool_init_kmalloc_pool(&c->fill_iter, 1, iter_size) || 1866 bioset_init(&c->bio_split, 4, offsetof(struct bbio, bio), 1867 BIOSET_NEED_BVECS|BIOSET_NEED_RESCUER) || 1868 !(c->uuids = alloc_bucket_pages(GFP_KERNEL, c)) || 1869 !(c->moving_gc_wq = alloc_workqueue("bcache_gc", 1870 WQ_MEM_RECLAIM, 0)) || 1871 bch_journal_alloc(c) || 1872 bch_btree_cache_alloc(c) || 1873 bch_open_buckets_alloc(c) || 1874 bch_bset_sort_state_init(&c->sort, ilog2(c->btree_pages))) 1875 goto err; ^^^^^^^^ 1876 ... 1883 return c; 1884 err: 1885 bch_cache_set_unregister(c); ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 1886 return NULL; 1887 } ... 2078 static const char *register_cache_set(struct cache *ca) 2079 { ... 2098 c = bch_cache_set_alloc(&ca->sb); 2099 if (!c) 2100 return err; ^^^^^^^^^^ ... 2128 ca->set = c; 2129 ca->set->cache[ca->sb.nr_this_dev] = ca; ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ... 2138 return NULL; 2139 err: 2140 bch_cache_set_unregister(c); 2141 return err; 2142 } (1) If LINE#1860 - LINE#1874 is true, then do 'goto err'(LINE#1875) and call bch_cache_set_unregister()(LINE#1885). (2) As (1) return NULL(LINE#1886), LINE#2098 - LINE#2100 would return. (3) As (2) has returned, LINE#2128 - LINE#2129 would do *not* give the value to c->cache[], it means that c->cache[] is NULL. LINE#1624 - LINE#1665 is some codes about function of cache_set_flush(). As (1), in LINE#1885 call bch_cache_set_unregister() ---> bch_cache_set_stop() ---> closure_queue() -.-> cache_set_flush() (as below LINE#1624) 1624 static void cache_set_flush(struct closure *cl) 1625 { ... 1654 for_each_cache(ca, c, i) 1655 if (ca->alloc_thread) ^^ 1656 kthread_stop(ca->alloc_thread); ... 1665 } (4) In LINE#1655 ca is NULL(see (3)) in cache_set_flush() then the kernel crash occurred as below: [ 846.712887] bcache: register_cache() error drbd6: cannot allocate memory [ 846.713242] bcache: register_bcache() error : failed to register device [ 846.713336] bcache: cache_set_free() Cache set 2f84bdc1-498a-4f2f-98a7-01946bf54287 unregistered [ 846.713768] BUG: unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at 00000000000009f8 [ 846.714790] PGD 0 P4D 0 [ 846.715129] Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP PTI [ 846.715472] CPU: 19 PID: 5057 Comm: kworker/19:16 Kdump: loaded Tainted: G OE --------- - - 4.18.0-147.5.1.el8_1.5es.3.x86_64 #1 [ 846.716082] Hardware name: ESPAN GI-25212/X11DPL-i, BIOS 2.1 06/15/2018 [ 846.716451] Workqueue: events cache_set_flush [bcache] [ 846.716808] RIP: 0010:cache_set_flush+0xc9/0x1b0 [bcache] [ 846.717155] Code: 00 4c 89 a5 b0 03 00 00 48 8b 85 68 f6 ff ff a8 08 0f 84 88 00 00 00 31 db 66 83 bd 3c f7 ff ff 00 48 8b 85 48 ff ff ff 74 28 <48> 8b b8 f8 09 00 0 ---truncated---
CVSS 3.1 score
5.5
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness type
CWE-476CVE-2025-38263 is a NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability
What is NULL Pointer Dereference?
The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. Learn more on MITRE CWE
Affected versions
Linux kernel versions
3.10
and later are affected. Fixed in
5.10.240,
5.15.187,
6.1.143,
6.6.96,
6.12.36,
6.15.5,
6.16
and their respective stable series.
References
The following references provide additional information about CVE-2025-38263 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.
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Mailing List Third Party Advisory
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Mailing List Third Party Advisory
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e46ed947ec658f89f1a910d880cd05e42d3763e
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1f25f2d3fa29325320c19a30abf787e0bd5fc91b
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3f9e128186c99a117e304f1dce6d0b9e50c63cd8
Frequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2025-38263?
CVE-2025-38263 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10 , classified as a NULL Pointer Dereference flaw (CWE-476) . It affects Linux kernel versions from 3.10 onward and has been patched in 5.10.240, 5.15.187, 6.1.143 and others. CVE-2025-38263 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-2025-38263?
CVE-2025-38263 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. -
Is there a patch available for CVE-2025-38263?
Yes — CVE-2025-38263 has been patched. Fixed versions include 5.10.240, 5.15.187, 6.1.143 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 3.10 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2025-38263 actively exploited?
No — CVE-2025-38263 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.
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What is NULL Pointer Dereference (CWE-476)?
The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. View CWE-476 on MITRE CWE →