CVE-2025-68172

What it actually does

Double-free of clock resources obtained via devm_clk_get_enabled in the aspeed_acry driver, triggered by manual clk_disable_unprepare calls in the probe error path and remove function, leading to memory corruption.

Why it matters to the business

Kernel instability, crashes, or potential code execution on systems using the affected Aspeed crypto driver; high urgency for organizations running vulnerable Linux kernels in embedded or server environments with this hardware.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with the ability to load or unload the driver, or induce probe/remove errors, can trigger the double-free condition to corrupt kernel heap memory and attempt to gain elevated privileges or cause denial of service.

How to fix it

Update the Linux kernel to a version containing commit 0dd6474ced33489076e6c0f3fe5077bf12e85b28 or later; remove manual clk_disable_unprepare calls from aspeed_acry_probe error paths and aspeed_acry_remove.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify the presence of commit 0dd6474ced33489076e6c0f3fe5077bf12e85b28 in the kernel source; confirm absence of manual clk_disable_unprepare in the aspeed acry driver files; test driver attach/detach under error conditions.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain local access or ability to trigger driver operations on affected hardware
2. Cause the aspeed_acry driver to enter the probe error path or execute remove
3. Trigger repeated manual clock cleanup leading to double-free
4. Exploit resulting heap corruption for arbitrary code execution or system crash

How to detect it

Review kernel logs for double-free warnings or slab corruption messages involving clock resources; inspect driver load/unload events and probe/remove traces for aspeed_acry; correlate with system crashes on Aspeed-based hardware.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize kernel updates containing the referenced commit on all affected systems
• Audit custom kernels or downstream distributions for the vulnerable aspeed acry code
• Monitor for kernel oops or memory corruption events related to clock handling
• Apply defense-in-depth measures such as kernel hardening features until patched