CVE-2025-39838: debian linux Null Dereference — Fix

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cifs: prevent NULL pointer dereference in UTF16 conversion There can be a NULL pointer dereference bug here. NULL is passed to __cifs_sfu_make_node without checks, which passes it unchecked to cifs_strndup_to_utf16, which in turn passes it to cifs_local_to_utf16_bytes where '*from' is dereferenced, causing a crash. This patch adds a check for NULL 'src' in cifs_strndup_to_utf16 and returns NULL early to prevent dereferencing NULL pointer. Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with SVACE

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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-476 CWE-476

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
linux	linux_kernel	6.12 — 6.12.46
linux	linux_kernel	6.13 — 6.16.6
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
debian	debian_linux	All

References

Advisories & Patches

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1f797f062b5cf13a1c2bcc23285361baaa7c9260 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3c26a8d30ed6b53a52a023ec537dc50a6d34a67a https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/70bccd9855dae56942f2b18a08ba137bb54093a0

Other References

https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00008.html https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-032379.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-39838? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cifs: prevent NULL pointer dereference in UTF16 conversion There can be a NULL pointer dereference bug here. NULL is passed to __cifs_sfu_make_node without checks, which passes it unchecked to cifs_strndup_to_utf16, which in turn passes it to cifs_local_to_utf16_bytes where '*from' is dereferenced, causing a crash. This patch adds a check for NULL 'src' in cifs_strndup_to_utf16 and returns NULL early to prevent dereferencing NULL pointer. Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with SVACE It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2025-39838? +

CVE-2025-39838 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-2025-39838? +

CVE-2025-39838 affects products from debian, linux, specifically: debian_linux, linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2025-39838? +

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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