CVE-2025-37831
📋 TL;DR
A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's Apple Silicon CPU frequency driver allows local attackers to cause a kernel panic (system crash) when accessing CPU frequency information. This affects Linux systems running on Apple Silicon hardware (M1/M2/M3 chips). Only local users with sufficient privileges can trigger this vulnerability.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with apple-soc cpufreq 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
Local denial of service causing kernel panic and system reboot, potentially leading to data loss or service disruption.
Likely Case
Local user with appropriate permissions causes system crash, requiring reboot and temporary service interruption.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper access controls limiting local user privileges and system monitoring in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and ability to trigger cpufreq operations on specific CPU cores. Exploitation depends on system state and CPU configuration.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel versions containing the referenced git commits
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/01e86ea22610d98ae6141e428019a6916e79f725
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. For distributions: Use package manager (apt/yum/dnf) to update kernel package. 3. Reboot system to load patched kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable apple-soc cpufreq driver
linuxPrevent loading of vulnerable driver module
echo 'blacklist apple_soc_cpufreq' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod apple_soc_cpufreq
Restrict CPU frequency operations
linuxLimit access to cpufreq sysfs interface
chmod 600 /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu*/cpufreq/*
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls to limit local user privileges
- Monitor system logs for kernel panic events and implement automated alerting
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if apple-soc cpufreq driver is loaded: lsmod | grep apple_soc_cpufreqCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Check kernel version contains fix: uname -r and verify against patched versions📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages in /var/log/kern.log or dmesg
- NULL pointer dereference errors in kernel logs
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("NULL pointer dereference" OR "kernel panic" OR "apple_soc_cpufreq")