Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfs: handle failure of...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
nfs: handle failure of nfs_get_lock_context in unlock path
When memory is insufficient, the allocation of nfs_lock_context in
nfs_get_lock_context() fails and returns -ENOMEM. If we mistakenly treat
an nfs4_unlockdata structure (whose l_ctx member has been set to -ENOMEM)
as valid and proceed to execute rpc_run_task(), this will trigger a NULL
pointer dereference in nfs4_locku_prepare. For example:
BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 000000000000000c
PGD 0 P4D 0
Oops: Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP PTI
CPU: 15 UID: 0 PID: 12 Comm: kworker/u64:0 Not tainted 6.15.0-rc2-dirty #60
Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.16.3-2.fc40
Workqueue: rpciod rpc_async_schedule
RIP: 0010:nfs4_locku_prepare+0x35/0xc2
Code: 89 f2 48 89 fd 48 c7 c7 68 69 ef b5 53 48 8b 8e 90 00 00 00 48 89 f3
RSP: 0018:ffffbbafc006bdb8 EFLAGS: 00010246
RAX: 000000000000004b RBX: ffff9b964fc1fa00 RCX: 0000000000000000
RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: fffffffffffffff4 RDI: ffff9ba53fddbf40
RBP: ffff9ba539934000 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: ffffbbafc006bc38
R10: ffffffffb6b689c8 R11: 0000000000000003 R12: ffff9ba539934030
R13: 0000000000000001 R14: 0000000004248060 R15: ffffffffb56d1c30
FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff9ba5881f0000(0000) knlGS:00000000
CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033
CR2: 000000000000000c CR3: 000000093f244000 CR4: 00000000000006f0
Call Trace:
__rpc_execute+0xbc/0x480
rpc_async_schedule+0x2f/0x40
process_one_work+0x232/0x5d0
worker_thread+0x1da/0x3d0
? __pfx_worker_thread+0x10/0x10
kthread+0x10d/0x240
? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10
ret_from_fork+0x34/0x50
? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10
ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30
Modules linked in:
CR2: 000000000000000c
---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---
Free the allocated nfs4_unlockdata when nfs_get_lock_context() fails and
return NULL to terminate subsequent rpc_run_task, preventing NULL pointer
dereference.
Impact
The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash. Typical impact: denial of service via crash.
CVE-2025-38023 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. No fixed version is listed yet, so configuration controls and monitoring matter more in the interim.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-38023? CVE-2025-38023 is a medium-severity null pointer dereference vulnerability. No fixed version is listed yet. The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash.
- How severe is CVE-2025-38023? CVE-2025-38023 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-38023? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-38023 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-38023 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-38023 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2025-38023 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.