Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: p54: prevent buffer...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
wifi: p54: prevent buffer-overflow in p54_rx_eeprom_readback()
Robert Morris reported:
|If a malicious USB device pretends to be an Intersil p54 wifi
|interface and generates an eeprom_readback message with a large
|eeprom->v1.len, p54_rx_eeprom_readback() will copy data from the
|message beyond the end of priv->eeprom.
|
|static void p54_rx_eeprom_readback(struct p54_common *priv,
| struct sk_buff *skb)
|{
| struct p54_hdr *hdr = (struct p54_hdr *) skb->data;
| struct p54_eeprom_lm86 *eeprom = (struct p54_eeprom_lm86 *) hdr->data;
|
| if (priv->fw_var >= 0x509) {
| memcpy(priv->eeprom, eeprom->v2.data,
| le16_to_cpu(eeprom->v2.len));
| } else {
| memcpy(priv->eeprom, eeprom->v1.data,
| le16_to_cpu(eeprom->v1.len));
| }
| [...]
The eeprom->v{1,2}.len is set by the driver in p54_download_eeprom().
The device is supposed to provide the same length back to the driver.
But yes, it's possible (like shown in the report) to alter the value
to something that causes a crash/panic due to overrun.
This patch addresses the issue by adding the size to the common device
context, so p54_rx_eeprom_readback no longer relies on possibly tampered
values... That said, it also checks if the "firmware" altered the value
and no longer copies them.
The one, small saving grace is: Before the driver tries to read the eeprom,
it needs to upload >a< firmware. the vendor firmware has a proprietary
license and as a reason, it is not present on most distributions by
default.
Impact
A write operation targets a memory location beyond the intended buffer boundary. Typical impact: memory corruption, crash, or arbitrary code execution.
CVE-2025-38348 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (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-2025-38348? CVE-2025-38348 is a high-severity out-of-bounds write vulnerability. No fixed version is listed yet. A write operation targets a memory location beyond the intended buffer boundary.
- How severe is CVE-2025-38348? CVE-2025-38348 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (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-2025-38348? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-38348 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-38348 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-38348 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-2025-38348 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.