CVE-2025-38035
NoneCVSS
—
EPSS
0.6%
Published
Jun 18, 2025
CISA due date
—
Cloudanix analysis
A bug in the Linux kernel's NVMe-over-TCP code can cause the entire computer to crash when handling certain network connection closures.
- Exploitation
- Remote Unauthenticated
- Attacker needs
- None
- Complexity
- Low
- Impact
- Denial Of Service
- Component
- OS kernel
- Class
- Memory Corruption
- Remediation
- Upgrade
- Effort
- Medium
- Patch risk
- Low
What it actually does
NULL pointer dereference in nvmet-tcp TCP connection teardown when sk_state_change was never replaced because the socket was not yet established, resulting in kernel instruction fetch at address 0 and oops during tcp_fin processing.
Why it matters to the business
Kernel panic and system crash on Linux hosts running NVMe over TCP target functionality, causing unplanned downtime and loss of storage availability; low exploit probability limits widespread impact but still requires prompt patching on affected kernels.
How an attack unfolds
An attacker establishes or tears down a TCP connection to an nvmet-tcp target queue; if the queue socket state change handler was never installed, the subsequent tcp_fin path dereferences a null sk_state_change pointer, triggering the kernel fault. No named threat actors have been observed exploiting this specific issue.
How to fix it
Upgrade Linux kernel to commit 6265538446e2426f4bf3b57e91d7680b2047ddd9 or later stable releases that contain the nvmet-tcp fix; apply vendor kernel updates that backport the change; rebuild and reboot affected systems.
How to confirm the fix worked
Confirm kernel source contains the null-check before restoring sk_state_change in nvmet_tcp_restore_sock_callbacks; verify running kernel version includes the fix commit; test nvmet-tcp queue creation and teardown under load to ensure no NULL dereference oops occurs.
Typical attack path
- Attacker initiates TCP connection to nvmet-tcp target
- Connection setup fails to replace sk_state_change due to timing or state
- Attacker sends FIN or triggers established-state teardown
- tcp_data_queue / tcp_fin calls null sk_state_change
- Kernel oops and panic
How to detect it
Search kernel logs for 'BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference' combined with 'nvmet' or 'tcp_fin' stack traces; inspect dmesg and journalctl for oops involving nvmet_tcp_set_queue_sock or sk_state_change around the time of TCP connection events.
What your security team should do
- Prioritize kernel updates on any system exposing nvmet-tcp targets
- Monitor EPSS trend and apply patches before any increase in exploit maturity
- Disable nvmet-tcp if not required until patched
- Reboot after kernel upgrade to activate fix
The record
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nvmet-tcp: don't restore null sk_state_change queue->state_change is set as part of nvmet_tcp_set_queue_sock(), but if the TCP connection isn't established when nvmet_tcp_set_queue_sock() is called then queue->state_change isn't set and sock->sk->sk_state_change isn't replaced. As such we don't need to restore sock->sk->sk_state_change if queue->state_change is NULL. This avoids NULL pointer dereferences such as this: [ 286.462026][ C0] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000000 [ 286.462814][ C0] #PF: supervisor instruction fetch in kernel mode [ 286.463796][ C0] #PF: error_code(0x0010) - not-present page [ 286.464392][ C0] PGD 8000000140620067 P4D 8000000140620067 PUD 114201067 PMD 0 [ 286.465086][ C0] Oops: Oops: 0010 [#1] SMP KASAN PTI [ 286.465559][ C0] CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 1628 Comm: nvme Not tainted 6.15.0-rc2+ #11 PREEMPT(voluntary) [ 286.466393][ C0] Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.16.3-3.fc41 04/01/2014 [ 286.467147][ C0] RIP: 0010:0x0 [ 286.467420][ C0] Code: Unable to access opcode bytes at 0xffffffffffffffd6. [ 286.467977][ C0] RSP: 0018:ffff8883ae008580 EFLAGS: 00010246 [ 286.468425][ C0] RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffff88813fd34100 RCX: ffffffffa386cc43 [ 286.469019][ C0] RDX: 1ffff11027fa68b6 RSI: 0000000000000008 RDI: ffff88813fd34100 [ 286.469545][ C0] RBP: ffff88813fd34160 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: ffffed1027fa682c [ 286.470072][ C0] R10: ffff88813fd34167 R11: 0000000000000000 R12: ffff88813fd344c3 [ 286.470585][ C0] R13: ffff88813fd34112 R14: ffff88813fd34aec R15: ffff888132cdd268 [ 286.471070][ C0] FS: 00007fe3c04c7d80(0000) GS:ffff88840743f000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [ 286.471644][ C0] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [ 286.472543][ C0] CR2: ffffffffffffffd6 CR3: 000000012daca000 CR4: 00000000000006f0 [ 286.473500][ C0] DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 [ 286.474467][ C0] DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000ffff07f0 DR7: 0000000000000400 [ 286.475453][ C0] Call Trace: [ 286.476102][ C0] <IRQ> [ 286.476719][ C0] tcp_fin+0x2bb/0x440 [ 286.477429][ C0] tcp_data_queue+0x190f/0x4e60 [ 286.478174][ C0] ? __build_skb_around+0x234/0x330 [ 286.478940][ C0] ? rcu_is_watching+0x11/0xb0 [ 286.479659][ C0] ? __pfx_tcp_data_queue+0x10/0x10 [ 286.480431][ C0] ? tcp_try_undo_loss+0x640/0x6c0 [ 286.481196][ C0] ? seqcount_lockdep_reader_access.constprop.0+0x82/0x90 [ 286.482046][ C0] ? kvm_clock_get_cycles+0x14/0x30 [ 286.482769][ C0] ? ktime_get+0x66/0x150 [ 286.483433][ C0] ? rcu_is_watching+0x11/0xb0 [ 286.484146][ C0] tcp_rcv_established+0x6e4/0x2050 [ 286.484857][ C0] ? rcu_is_watching+0x11/0xb0 [ 286.485523][ C0] ? ipv4_dst_check+0x160/0x2b0 [ 286.486203][ C0] ? __pfx_tcp_rcv_established+0x10/0x10 [ 286.486917][ C0] ? lock_release+0x217/0x2c0 [ 286.487595][ C0] tcp_v4_do_rcv+0x4d6/0x9b0 [ 286.488279][ C0] tcp_v4_rcv+0x2af8/0x3e30 [ 286.488904][ C0] ? raw_local_deliver+0x51b/0xad0 [ 286.489551][ C0] ? rcu_is_watching+0x11/0xb0 [ 286.490198][ C0] ? __pfx_tcp_v4_rcv+0x10/0x10 [ 286.490813][ C0] ? __pfx_raw_local_deliver+0x10/0x10 [ 286.491487][ C0] ? __pfx_nf_confirm+0x10/0x10 [nf_conntrack] [ 286.492275][ C0] ? rcu_is_watching+0x11/0xb0 [ 286.492900][ C0] ip_protocol_deliver_rcu+0x8f/0x370 [ 286.493579][ C0] ip_local_deliver_finish+0x297/0x420 [ 286.494268][ C0] ip_local_deliver+0x168/0x430 [ 286.494867][ C0] ? __pfx_ip_local_deliver+0x10/0x10 [ 286.495498][ C0] ? __pfx_ip_local_deliver_finish+0x10/0x10 [ 286.496204][ C0] ? ip_rcv_finish_core+0x19a/0x1f20 [ 286.496806][ C0] ? lock_release+0x217/0x2c0 [ 286.497414][ C0] ip_rcv+0x455/0x6e0 [ 286.497945][ C0] ? __pfx_ip_rcv+0x10/0x10 [ ---truncated---
Affected packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Introduced | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:11 | linux | 0 | No fix |
| Debian:12 | linux | 0 | No fix |
| Debian:13 | linux | 0 | 6.12.32-1 |
| Debian:14 | linux | 0 | 6.12.32-1 |
| Linux | Kernel | 5.0.0 | 5.4.294 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 SP6 | kernel-default | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5 | kernel-default | 0 | 4.12.14-122.269.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5 | kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_71 | 0 | 1-8.3.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6 | kernel-default | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6-RT_Update_14 | 0 | 1-150600.1.5.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_14 | 0 | 1-150600.13.3.4 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7-RT_Update_3 | 0 | 1-150700.1.5.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP6 | kernel-64kb | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP6 | kernel-default | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP6 | kernel-default-base | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1.150600.12.28.4 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP6 | kernel-source | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP6 | kernel-zfcpdump | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Confidential Computing Technical Preview 15 SP6 | kernel-coco | 0 | 6.4.0-15061.28.coco15sp6.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Confidential Computing Technical Preview 15 SP6 | kernel-coco_debug | 0 | 6.4.0-15061.28.coco15sp6.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Confidential Computing Technical Preview 15 SP6 | kernel-source-coco | 0 | 6.4.0-15061.28.coco15sp6.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Confidential Computing Technical Preview 15 SP6 | kernel-syms-coco | 0 | 6.4.0-15061.28.coco15sp6.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP6 | kernel-docs | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP6 | kernel-obs-build | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP6 | kernel-source | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP6 | kernel-syms | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Legacy 15 SP6 | kernel-default | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Public Cloud 15 SP6 | kernel-azure | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.8.48.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Public Cloud 15 SP6 | kernel-source-azure | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.8.48.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Public Cloud 15 SP6 | kernel-syms-azure | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.8.48.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS | kernel-default | 0 | 4.12.14-122.269.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS | kernel-source | 0 | 4.12.14-122.269.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5-LTSS | kernel-syms | 0 | 4.12.14-122.269.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server LTSS Extended Security 12 SP5 | kernel-default | 0 | 4.12.14-122.269.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server LTSS Extended Security 12 SP5 | kernel-source | 0 | 4.12.14-122.269.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server LTSS Extended Security 12 SP5 | kernel-syms | 0 | 4.12.14-122.269.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP6 | kernel-default | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| SUSE:Real Time Module 15 SP6 | kernel-rt | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.10.49.1 |
| SUSE:Real Time Module 15 SP6 | kernel-rt_debug | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.10.49.1 |
| SUSE:Real Time Module 15 SP6 | kernel-source-rt | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.10.49.1 |
| SUSE:Real Time Module 15 SP6 | kernel-syms-rt | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.10.49.1 |
| SUSE:Real Time Module 15 SP7 | kernel-rt | 0 | 6.4.0-150700.7.13.1 |
| SUSE:Real Time Module 15 SP7 | kernel-source-rt | 0 | 6.4.0-150700.7.13.1 |
| SUSE:Real Time Module 15 SP7 | kernel-syms-rt | 0 | 6.4.0-150700.7.13.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | dtb-aarch64 | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-64kb | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-azure | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.8.48.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-debug | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-default | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-default-base | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1.150600.12.28.4 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-docs | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-kvmsmall | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-obs-build | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-obs-qa | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-rt | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.10.49.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-rt_debug | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.10.49.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-source | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-source-azure | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.8.48.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-source-rt | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.10.49.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-syms | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-syms-azure | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.8.48.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-syms-rt | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.10.49.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | kernel-zfcpdump | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
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