CVE-2025-38381
📋 TL;DR
A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's cs40l50-vibra driver where memory allocation failure isn't properly handled. This could cause kernel crashes or system instability when the driver attempts to upload OWT (One-Wire Trigger) data. Systems using this specific haptic feedback driver are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with cs40l50-vibra driver enabled
📦 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 system crash and denial of service, potentially requiring physical reboot.
Likely Case
Driver malfunction causing haptic feedback failure or system instability when memory allocation fails.
If Mitigated
Minor system instability limited to the specific driver functionality with proper memory management.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires ability to trigger cs40l50_upload_owt() function with memory allocation failure conditions.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel commits: 4cf65845fdd09d711fc7546d60c9abe010956922, e87fc697fa4be5164e47cfba4ddd4732499adc60, ea20568895c1122f15b6fc9e2d02c6cbe22964f8
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4cf65845fdd09d711fc7546d60c9abe010956922
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 cs40l50-vibra driver
linuxPrevent loading of vulnerable driver module
echo 'blacklist cs40l50-vibra' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod cs40l50_vibra
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict access to users/groups that could trigger the vulnerable driver function
- Monitor system logs for kernel panic or OOM (Out of Memory) events related to cs40l50 driver
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if cs40l50-vibra driver is loaded: lsmod | grep cs40l50_vibraCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Check kernel version includes fix commits: grep -r 'cs40l50_upload_owt' /proc/kallsyms or verify kernel source contains NULL check📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- NULL pointer dereference in kernel logs
- cs40l50 driver error messages
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("NULL pointer dereference" OR "cs40l50" OR "kernel panic")