CVE-2025-38114
📋 TL;DR
A race condition in the Linux kernel's e1000 Ethernet driver could cause a deadlock when network interfaces are brought down while reset tasks are running. This affects systems using the e1000 driver and could lead to denial of service. The vulnerability requires local access to trigger.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel e1000 Ethernet 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
System deadlock requiring hard reboot, causing extended downtime and potential data loss.
Likely Case
Network interface becomes unresponsive, requiring interface restart or system reboot to restore functionality.
If Mitigated
Minor service interruption if automated monitoring detects and restarts affected interfaces.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and specific timing conditions to trigger the race condition. Reported by syzbot fuzzer and users.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions containing commits 1fd4438ddcc4958ed24662d5125114299e19bae4 and b4a8085ceefb7bbb12c2b71c55e71fc946c6929f
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1fd4438ddcc4958ed24662d5125114299e19bae4
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version from your distribution. 2. For custom kernels, apply the two referenced git commits. 3. Reboot system to load new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Avoid e1000 driver
linuxUse alternative network drivers if available for your hardware
modprobe -r e1000
modprobe alternative_driver
Limit interface operations
linuxAvoid frequent ifdown/ifup operations on e1000 interfaces
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor system logs for e1000 driver errors and deadlock indicators
- Implement redundancy for critical network interfaces using e1000 drivers
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if e1000 module is loaded: 'uname -r' and 'lsmod | grep e1000'Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version is patched and check dmesg for e1000 driver loading without errors📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel deadlock messages
- e1000 driver timeout errors
- Network interface unresponsive logs
Network Indicators:
- Sudden loss of connectivity on specific interfaces
- ARP/MAC address flapping
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("deadlock" OR "e1000" AND ("timeout" OR "hung"))