CVE-2025-38274
📋 TL;DR
A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's FPGA manager test function fpga_mgr_test_img_load_sgt(). This could cause kernel crashes or denial of service on systems using FPGA functionality. The vulnerability affects Linux kernel versions with the vulnerable code.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel
📦 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic leading to system crash and denial of service, potentially requiring physical reboot.
Likely Case
Kernel crash or system instability when FPGA test functionality is triggered, causing temporary denial of service.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact if FPGA functionality is not used or the vulnerable test code path is not executed.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires triggering the specific FPGA test function, which typically requires kernel module loading or specific driver operations.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions with commits 6ebf1982038af12f3588417e4fd0417d2551da28, 8b2230ac7ff0aeb2441132df638a82ab124f8624, e69e2cfd8b38d9463a250e153ef4963a604d61e9, or eb4c74eaa6e2d15f3bbd32941c9d2a25b29a718d
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6ebf1982038af12f3588417e4fd0417d2551da28
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify kernel version after reboot.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable FPGA support
linuxRemove FPGA functionality from kernel configuration to eliminate vulnerable code path
# Recompile kernel with CONFIG_FPGA=n or remove FPGA modules
Restrict kernel module loading
linuxPrevent loading of FPGA-related kernel modules that could trigger the vulnerability
echo 'install fpga-mgr-test /bin/false' >> /etc/modprobe.d/disable-fpga.conf
echo 'blacklist fpga_mgr_test' >> /etc/modprobe.d/disable-fpga.conf
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict access to users who could trigger FPGA functionality
- Monitor system logs for kernel panic or oops messages related to FPGA operations
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if kernel has FPGA support enabled and if vulnerable version is running: 'grep FPGA /boot/config-$(uname -r)' and 'uname -r'Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits: 'uname -r' and check kernel changelog for the specific commit hashes📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- NULL pointer dereference errors in dmesg
- FPGA-related error messages
Network Indicators:
- None - this is a local kernel vulnerability
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("NULL pointer dereference" OR "kernel panic" OR "FPGA")