CVE-2025-37748
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability is a NULL pointer dereference in the MediaTek IOMMU driver of the Linux kernel, occurring during device initialization. It allows local attackers to cause a kernel panic (system crash) or potentially execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. Systems using Linux kernels with the affected MediaTek IOMMU driver are vulnerable.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with MediaTek IOMMU driver
📦 What is this software?
Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic leading to denial of service, or potential privilege escalation to kernel-level code execution if combined with other vulnerabilities.
Likely Case
System crash or kernel panic when the vulnerable driver code path is triggered during device initialization.
If Mitigated
No impact if the vulnerable driver is not loaded or the system is patched.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and triggering the vulnerable code path during driver initialization; no public exploits known.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions with fixes from the provided git commits (e.g., stable kernel patches).
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2f75cb27bef43c8692b0f5e471e5632f6a9beb99
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update the Linux kernel to a version that includes the fix. 2. Reboot the system to load the new kernel. 3. Verify the patch is applied by checking kernel version or driver logs.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable MediaTek IOMMU driver
linuxPrevent loading of the vulnerable driver module to avoid exploitation.
echo 'blacklist mtk_iommu' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
update-initramfs -u
reboot
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local access to prevent untrusted users from triggering the vulnerability.
- Monitor system logs for kernel panics or crashes related to the mtk_iommu driver.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if the mtk_iommu driver is loaded: 'lsmod | grep mtk_iommu'. If loaded and kernel version is unpatched, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
After patching, verify the kernel version includes the fix commit: 'uname -r' and cross-reference with patched versions.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages in /var/log/kern.log or dmesg
- NULL pointer dereference errors related to mtk_iommu
Network Indicators:
- None - this is a local vulnerability
SIEM Query:
Search for kernel logs containing 'mtk_iommu' and 'NULL pointer' or 'panic'.🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2f75cb27bef43c8692b0f5e471e5632f6a9beb99
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/38e8844005e6068f336a3ad45451a562a0040ca1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/69f9d2d37d1207c5a73dac52a4ce1361ead707f5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6abd09bed43b8d83d461e0fb5b9a200a06aa8a27
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a0842539e8ef9386c070156103aff888e558a60c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ce7d3b2f6f393fa35f0ea12861b83a1ca28b295c
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00045.html
