CVE-2025-38227
NoneCVSS
—
EPSS
0.2%
Published
Jul 4, 2025
CISA due date
—
Cloudanix analysis
A programming mistake in a Linux test component for digital TV can let a program read memory it should no longer access, which may cause the system to crash.
- Exploitation
- Local Privilege
- Attacker needs
- Local User
- Complexity
- Moderate
- Impact
- Privilege Gain
- Component
- OS kernel
- Class
- Use After Free
- Remediation
- Upgrade
- Effort
- Medium
- Patch risk
- Low
What it actually does
Use-after-free read in vidtv_mux_pid_ctx_init and vidtv_mux_init when PSI/SI initialization fails, leaving the si member dangling and accessed later during mux setup in the Linux kernel vidtv test driver.
Why it matters to the business
Kernel memory corruption or crashes on systems exposing the vidtv virtual DVB driver, potentially affecting media or testing workloads; limited real-world prevalence outside development or embedded environments reduces broad operational risk.
How an attack unfolds
An attacker starts a DVB demux feed that triggers vidtv_start_streaming, causing vidtv_channel_si_init to fail during PSI table setup; the subsequent vidtv_mux_init path then dereferences the freed si structure, resulting in a KASAN-detected slab-use-after-free read. Threat actor references to Linux kernel privilege escalation campaigns indicate similar patterns may be studied for local attacks.
How to fix it
Upgrade the Linux kernel to commit e1d72ff111eceea6b28dccb7ca4e8f4900b11729 or later; for Chainguard redis-operator-fips and redis-operator-fips-compat update to 0.20.2-r1 which includes the fix.
How to confirm the fix worked
Verify the patch is present by checking for the early-exit logic after vidtv_psi_pat_table_init failure in vidtv_mux.c; confirm no KASAN reports on vidtv_mux_init during fuzzing or media driver stress tests.
Typical attack path
- Open and configure a DVB demux device to request section filtering
- Invoke vidtv_start_feed which calls vidtv_start_streaming
- Force PSI initialization failure inside vidtv_channel_si_init
- Allow vidtv_mux_init to proceed and access the dangling si pointer
- Trigger the use-after-free read during pid context initialization
How to detect it
Search kernel logs for KASAN slab-use-after-free reports referencing vidtv_mux.c:78 or vidtv_mux_init; inspect dmesg and audit logs for vidtv_start_streaming or dvb_demux_release sequences ending in crashes.
What your security team should do
- Apply the kernel commit or package update immediately on any system shipping the vidtv driver
- Disable or remove the vidtv test driver from production kernel configurations if not required
- Monitor EPSS trend and re-evaluate if exploit maturity increases
The record
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: media: vidtv: Terminating the subsequent process of initialization failure syzbot reported a slab-use-after-free Read in vidtv_mux_init. [1] After PSI initialization fails, the si member is accessed again, resulting in this uaf. After si initialization fails, the subsequent process needs to be exited. [1] BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in vidtv_mux_pid_ctx_init drivers/media/test-drivers/vidtv/vidtv_mux.c:78 [inline] BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in vidtv_mux_init+0xac2/0xbe0 drivers/media/test-drivers/vidtv/vidtv_mux.c:524 Read of size 8 at addr ffff88802fa42acc by task syz.2.37/6059 CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 6059 Comm: syz.2.37 Not tainted 6.14.0-rc5-syzkaller #0 Hardware name: Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 02/12/2025 Call Trace: <TASK> __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:94 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0x116/0x1f0 lib/dump_stack.c:120 print_address_description mm/kasan/report.c:408 [inline] print_report+0xc3/0x670 mm/kasan/report.c:521 kasan_report+0xd9/0x110 mm/kasan/report.c:634 vidtv_mux_pid_ctx_init drivers/media/test-drivers/vidtv/vidtv_mux.c:78 vidtv_mux_init+0xac2/0xbe0 drivers/media/test-drivers/vidtv/vidtv_mux.c:524 vidtv_start_streaming drivers/media/test-drivers/vidtv/vidtv_bridge.c:194 vidtv_start_feed drivers/media/test-drivers/vidtv/vidtv_bridge.c:239 dmx_section_feed_start_filtering drivers/media/dvb-core/dvb_demux.c:973 dvb_dmxdev_feed_start drivers/media/dvb-core/dmxdev.c:508 [inline] dvb_dmxdev_feed_restart.isra.0 drivers/media/dvb-core/dmxdev.c:537 dvb_dmxdev_filter_stop+0x2b4/0x3a0 drivers/media/dvb-core/dmxdev.c:564 dvb_dmxdev_filter_free drivers/media/dvb-core/dmxdev.c:840 [inline] dvb_demux_release+0x92/0x550 drivers/media/dvb-core/dmxdev.c:1246 __fput+0x3ff/0xb70 fs/file_table.c:464 task_work_run+0x14e/0x250 kernel/task_work.c:227 exit_task_work include/linux/task_work.h:40 [inline] do_exit+0xad8/0x2d70 kernel/exit.c:938 do_group_exit+0xd3/0x2a0 kernel/exit.c:1087 __do_sys_exit_group kernel/exit.c:1098 [inline] __se_sys_exit_group kernel/exit.c:1096 [inline] __x64_sys_exit_group+0x3e/0x50 kernel/exit.c:1096 x64_sys_call+0x151f/0x1720 arch/x86/include/generated/asm/syscalls_64.h:232 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:52 [inline] do_syscall_64+0xcd/0x250 arch/x86/entry/common.c:83 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f RIP: 0033:0x7f871d58d169 Code: Unable to access opcode bytes at 0x7f871d58d13f. RSP: 002b:00007fff4b19a788 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 00000000000000e7 RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 00007f871d58d169 RDX: 0000000000000064 RSI: 0000000000000000 RDI: 0000000000000000 RBP: 00007fff4b19a7ec R08: 0000000b4b19a87f R09: 00000000000927c0 R10: 0000000000000001 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 0000000000000003 R13: 00000000000927c0 R14: 000000000001d553 R15: 00007fff4b19a840 </TASK> Allocated by task 6059: kasan_save_stack+0x33/0x60 mm/kasan/common.c:47 kasan_save_track+0x14/0x30 mm/kasan/common.c:68 poison_kmalloc_redzone mm/kasan/common.c:377 [inline] __kasan_kmalloc+0xaa/0xb0 mm/kasan/common.c:394 kmalloc_noprof include/linux/slab.h:901 [inline] kzalloc_noprof include/linux/slab.h:1037 [inline] vidtv_psi_pat_table_init drivers/media/test-drivers/vidtv/vidtv_psi.c:970 vidtv_channel_si_init drivers/media/test-drivers/vidtv/vidtv_channel.c:423 vidtv_mux_init drivers/media/test-drivers/vidtv/vidtv_mux.c:519 vidtv_start_streaming drivers/media/test-drivers/vidtv/vidtv_bridge.c:194 vidtv_start_feed drivers/media/test-drivers/vidtv/vidtv_bridge.c:239 dmx_section_feed_start_filtering drivers/media/dvb-core/dvb_demux.c:973 dvb_dmxdev_feed_start drivers/media/dvb-core/dmxdev.c:508 [inline] dvb_dmxdev_feed_restart.isra.0 drivers/media/dvb-core/dmxdev.c:537 dvb_dmxdev_filter_stop+0x2b4/0x3a0 drivers/media/dvb-core/dmxdev.c:564 dvb_dmxdev_filter_free drivers/media/dvb-core/dmxdev.c:840 [inline] dvb_demux_release+0x92/0x550 drivers/media/dvb-core/dmxdev.c:1246 __fput+0x3ff/0xb70 fs/file_tabl ---truncated---
Affected packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Introduced | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:11 | linux | 0 | No fix |
| Debian:12 | linux | 0 | No fix |
| Debian:13 | linux | 0 | No fix |
| Debian:14 | linux | 0 | 6.12.35-1 |
| Linux | Kernel | 5.10.0 | 5.10.239 |
| Mageia:9 | kernel | 0 | 6.6.101-1.mga9 |
| Mageia:9 | kernel-linus | 0 | 6.6.101-1.mga9 |
| Mageia:9 | kmod-virtualbox | 0 | 7.1.10-7.mga9 |
| Mageia:9 | kmod-xtables-addons | 0 | 3.24-83.mga9 |
| Mageia:9 | wireless-regdb | 0 | 20250710-1.mga9 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 SP6 | kernel-default | 0 | 6.4.0-150600.23.65.1 |
| 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 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 |
| openSUSE:Leap 16.0 | dtb-aarch64 | 0 | 6.12.0-160000.6.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 16.0 | kernel-64kb | 0 | 6.12.0-160000.6.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 16.0 | kernel-default | 0 | 6.12.0-160000.6.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 16.0 | kernel-default-base | 0 | 6.12.0-160000.6.1.160000.2.4 |
| openSUSE:Leap 16.0 | kernel-docs | 0 | 6.12.0-160000.6.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 16.0 | kernel-kvmsmall | 0 | 6.12.0-160000.6.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 16.0 | kernel-obs-build | 0 | 6.12.0-160000.6.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 16.0 | kernel-obs-qa | 0 | 6.12.0-160000.6.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 16.0 | kernel-rt | 0 | 6.12.0-160000.6.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 16.0 | kernel-source | 0 | 6.12.0-160000.6.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 16.0 | kernel-syms | 0 | 6.12.0-160000.6.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 16.0 | kernel-zfcpdump | 0 | 6.12.0-160000.6.1 |
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