CVE-2025-71189

What it actually does

OF node reference leak in dmaengine dw dmamux on late route allocation failure paths, causing resource leak.

Why it matters to the business

Over time, repeated triggering on affected Linux systems can exhaust memory or device tree references, leading to degraded performance or instability in virtualized or embedded environments using MinimOS linux-virt packages.

How an attack unfolds

A local attacker with low privileges triggers DMA route allocation failures in the dw dmamux driver repeatedly, leaking OF node references each time without triggering remote vectors or known threat actor campaigns.

How to fix it

Upgrade linux-virt and linux-virt-doc to version 6.12.38-r0 or later; apply commit 6b87288581a0fcbe54b39da5c10e1aee2df8776e in the stable Linux kernel tree.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm kernel package version is at or above the listed fixed releases and verify absence of the reference leak in the dmamux route allocation error paths via source review or updated package manifests.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain local user access on affected Linux kernel
2. Trigger DMA route allocation paths that fail late in dw dmamux
3. Repeat to accumulate leaked OF node references
4. Observe gradual resource exhaustion affecting system stability

How to detect it

Review system logs for repeated DMA allocation failures in dw dmamux and monitor for unexplained growth in OF node references or memory usage on affected kernels; no public exploitation artifacts are known.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize patching linux-virt packages to 6.12.38-r0 within standard maintenance windows given low EPSS and no KEV status
• Monitor for any increase in EPSS trend or new exploit maturity signals
• Audit local DMA-using workloads for unexpected resource growth as a defense-in-depth measure