CVE-2025-38531: linux kernel — Fix

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: iio: common: st_sensors: Fix use of uninitialize device structs Throughout the various probe functions &indio_dev->dev is used before it is initialized. This caused a kernel panic in st_sensors_power_enable() when the call to devm_regulator_bulk_get_enable() fails and then calls dev_err_probe() with the uninitialized device. This seems to only cause a panic with dev_err_probe(), dev_err(), dev_warn() and dev_info() don't seem to cause a panic, but are fixed as well. The issue is reported and traced here: [1]

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CVSS v3.1 Score

5.5

MEDIUM

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-908 CWE-908

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
linux	linux_kernel	< 6.12.40
linux	linux_kernel	6.13 — 6.15.8
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All

References

Advisories & Patches

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3297a9016a45144883ec990bd4bd5b1d79cafb46 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/610615c9668037e3eca11132063b93b2d945af13 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9f92e93e257b33e73622640a9205f8642ec16ddd

Other References

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f9d4b618f1b9e6d760cc7c15052b92f7faf47201

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-38531? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: iio: common: st_sensors: Fix use of uninitialize device structs Throughout the various probe functions &indio_dev->dev is used before it is initialized. This caused a kernel panic in st_sensors_power_enable() when the call to devm_regulator_bulk_get_enable() fails and then calls dev_err_probe() with the uninitialized device. This seems to only cause a panic with dev_err_probe(), dev_err(), dev_warn() and dev_info() don't seem to cause a panic, but are fixed as well. The issue is reported and traced here: [1] It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2025-38531? +

CVE-2025-38531 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 5.5 out of 10, rated MEDIUM. This is a medium-severity vulnerability that should be remediated as part of regular maintenance.

What products are affected by CVE-2025-38531? +

CVE-2025-38531 affects products from linux, specifically: linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2025-38531? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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