CVE-2025-38070
📋 TL;DR
This CVE addresses a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's sma1307 audio codec driver. If exploited, it could cause kernel crashes or denial of service on systems using this driver. The vulnerability affects Linux systems with the sma1307 ASoC driver loaded.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with sma1307 ASoC 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic leading to system crash and denial of service, potentially requiring physical reboot.
Likely Case
Local denial of service through kernel crash when the vulnerable driver function is triggered.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper kernel hardening and driver isolation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and ability to trigger the sma1307_setting_loaded() function with specific conditions.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Fixed in kernel commits 0ec6bd16705fe21d6429d6b8f7981eae2142bba8 and f8434b8ba437d3f6cbcd9ffe8405bd16ed28fc5c
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0ec6bd16705fe21d6429d6b8f7981eae2142bba8
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Rebuild kernel if compiling from source. 3. Reboot system to load patched kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable sma1307 driver
linuxPrevent loading of the vulnerable driver module
echo 'blacklist sma1307' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod sma1307
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Ensure proper access controls to prevent unauthorized users from triggering driver functions
- Implement kernel hardening features like SELinux/AppArmor to restrict driver access
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if sma1307 driver is loaded: lsmod | grep sma1307 and check kernel version against patched versionsCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits and sma1307 driver loads without issues📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- NULL pointer dereference errors in kernel logs
- System crash/reboot events
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("NULL pointer" OR "sma1307" OR "kernel panic")