Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: usb: aqc111: fix error...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
net: usb: aqc111: fix error handling of usbnet read calls
Syzkaller, courtesy of syzbot, identified an error (see report [1]) in
aqc111 driver, caused by incomplete sanitation of usb read calls'
results. This problem is quite similar to the one fixed in commit
920a9fa27e78 ("net: asix: add proper error handling of usb read errors").
For instance, usbnet_read_cmd() may read fewer than 'size' bytes,
even if the caller expected the full amount, and aqc111_read_cmd()
will not check its result properly. As [1] shows, this may lead
to MAC address in aqc111_bind() being only partly initialized,
triggering KMSAN warnings.
Fix the issue by verifying that the number of bytes read is
as expected and not less.
[1] Partial syzbot report:
BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in is_valid_ether_addr include/linux/etherdevice.h:208 [inline]
BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in usbnet_probe+0x2e57/0x4390 drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c:1830
is_valid_ether_addr include/linux/etherdevice.h:208 [inline]
usbnet_probe+0x2e57/0x4390 drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c:1830
usb_probe_interface+0xd01/0x1310 drivers/usb/core/driver.c:396
call_driver_probe drivers/base/dd.c:-1 [inline]
really_probe+0x4d1/0xd90 drivers/base/dd.c:658
__driver_probe_device+0x268/0x380 drivers/base/dd.c:800
...
Uninit was stored to memory at:
dev_addr_mod+0xb0/0x550 net/core/dev_addr_lists.c:582
__dev_addr_set include/linux/netdevice.h:4874 [inline]
eth_hw_addr_set include/linux/etherdevice.h:325 [inline]
aqc111_bind+0x35f/0x1150 drivers/net/usb/aqc111.c:717
usbnet_probe+0xbe6/0x4390 drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c:1772
usb_probe_interface+0xd01/0x1310 drivers/usb/core/driver.c:396
...
Uninit was stored to memory at:
ether_addr_copy include/linux/etherdevice.h:305 [inline]
aqc111_read_perm_mac drivers/net/usb/aqc111.c:663 [inline]
aqc111_bind+0x794/0x1150 drivers/net/usb/aqc111.c:713
usbnet_probe+0xbe6/0x4390 drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c:1772
usb_probe_interface+0xd01/0x1310 drivers/usb/core/driver.c:396
call_driver_probe drivers/base/dd.c:-1 [inline]
...
Local variable buf.i created at:
aqc111_read_perm_mac drivers/net/usb/aqc111.c:656 [inline]
aqc111_bind+0x221/0x1150 drivers/net/usb/aqc111.c:713
usbnet_probe+0xbe6/0x4390 drivers/net/usb/usbnet.c:1772
Impact
A read operation accesses a memory location beyond the intended buffer boundary. Typical impact: sensitive data disclosure or crash.
CVE-2025-38153 has a CVSS score of 7.1 (High). 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-2025-38153? CVE-2025-38153 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability. No fixed version is listed yet. A read operation accesses a memory location beyond the intended buffer boundary.
- How severe is CVE-2025-38153? CVE-2025-38153 has a CVSS score of 7.1 (High). 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-2025-38153? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-38153 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-38153 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-38153 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-2025-38153 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.