CVE-2025-38589

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: neighbour: Fix null-ptr-deref in neigh_flush_dev(). kernel test robot reported null-ptr-deref in neigh_flush_dev(). [0] The cited commit introduced per-netdev neighbour list and converted neigh_flush_dev() to use it instead of the global hash table. One thing we missed is that neigh_table_clear() calls neigh_ifdown() with NULL dev. Let's restore the hash table iteration. Note that IPv6 module is no longer unloadable, so neigh_table_clear() is called only when IPv6 fails to initialise, which is unlikely to happen. [0]: IPv6: Attempt to unregister permanent protocol 136 IPv6: Attempt to unregister permanent protocol 17 Oops: general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address 0xdffffc00000001a0: 0000 [#1] SMP KASAN KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000d00-0x0000000000000d07] CPU: 1 UID: 0 PID: 1 Comm: systemd Tainted: G T 6.12.0-rc6-01246-gf7f52738637f #1 Tainted: [T]=RANDSTRUCT Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.16.2-debian-1.16.2-1 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:neigh_flush_dev.llvm.6395807810224103582+0x52/0x570 Code: c1 e8 03 42 8a 04 38 84 c0 0f 85 15 05 00 00 31 c0 41 83 3e 0a 0f 94 c0 48 8d 1c c3 48 81 c3 f8 0c 00 00 48 89 d8 48 c1 e8 03 <42> 80 3c 38 00 74 08 48 89 df e8 f7 49 93 fe 4c 8b 3b 4d 85 ff 0f RSP: 0000:ffff88810026f408 EFLAGS: 00010206 RAX: 00000000000001a0 RBX: 0000000000000d00 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000000000000 RDI: ffffffffc0631640 RBP: ffff88810026f470 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000000 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: ffffffffc0625250 R14: ffffffffc0631640 R15: dffffc0000000000 FS: 00007f575cb83940(0000) GS:ffff8883aee00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 00007f575db40008 CR3: 00000002bf936000 CR4: 00000000000406f0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 Call Trace: <TASK> __neigh_ifdown.llvm.6395807810224103582+0x44/0x390 neigh_table_clear+0xb1/0x268 ndisc_cleanup+0x21/0x38 [ipv6] init_module+0x2f5/0x468 [ipv6] do_one_initcall+0x1ba/0x628 do_init_module+0x21a/0x530 load_module+0x2550/0x2ea0 __se_sys_finit_module+0x3d2/0x620 __x64_sys_finit_module+0x76/0x88 x64_sys_call+0x7ff/0xde8 do_syscall_64+0xfb/0x1e8 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x67/0x6f RIP: 0033:0x7f575d6f2719 Code: 08 89 e8 5b 5d c3 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 90 48 89 f8 48 89 f7 48 89 d6 48 89 ca 4d 89 c2 4d 89 c8 4c 8b 4c 24 08 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 8b 0d b7 06 0d 00 f7 d8 64 89 01 48 RSP: 002b:00007fff82a2a268 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000139 RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 0000557827b45310 RCX: 00007f575d6f2719 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 00007f575d584efd RDI: 0000000000000004 RBP: 00007f575d584efd R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000557827b47b00 R10: 0000000000000004 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 0000000000020000 R13: 0000000000000000 R14: 0000557827b470e0 R15: 00007f575dbb4270 </TASK> Modules linked in: ipv6(+)

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited locally on the machine with a low-privilege account. High risk of service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.2% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

A patch, advisory or fixed version is referenced. Upgrade or apply it.

Timeline

1. 2025-08-19 17:15 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-06-17 09:17 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.2% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 5.5 MEDIUM (CVSS).
• Fix: a patch or advisory is linked.

Details

Published

2025-08-19 17:15 UTC

Last modified

2026-06-17 09:17 UTC

Exploit probability

0.2% · EPSS, next 30 days

Weakness

CWE-476 · NULL pointer dereference

Record status

Analyzed

Affected

• Linux Kernel < 6.15.10
• Linux Kernel < 6.16.1

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 5.5

Attack vector

Local

Complexity

Low

Privileges needed

Low

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

None

Integrity

None

Availability

High

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