Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: md: make rdev_addable usable...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
md: make rdev_addable usable for rcu mode
Our testcase trigger panic:
BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 00000000000000e0
...
Oops: Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP NOPTI
CPU: 2 UID: 0 PID: 85 Comm: kworker/2:1 Not tainted 6.16.0+ #94
PREEMPT(none)
Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS
1.16.1-2.fc37 04/01/2014
Workqueue: md_misc md_start_sync
RIP: 0010:rdev_addable+0x4d/0xf0
...
Call Trace:
md_start_sync+0x329/0x480
process_one_work+0x226/0x6d0
worker_thread+0x19e/0x340
kthread+0x10f/0x250
ret_from_fork+0x14d/0x180
ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30
Modules linked in: raid10
CR2: 00000000000000e0
---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---
RIP: 0010:rdev_addable+0x4d/0xf0
md_spares_need_change in md_start_sync will call rdev_addable which
protected by rcu_read_lock/rcu_read_unlock. This rcu context will help
protect rdev won't be released, but rdev->mddev will be set to NULL
before we call synchronize_rcu in md_kick_rdev_from_array. Fix this by
using READ_ONCE and check does rdev->mddev still alive.
Impact
The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash. Typical impact: denial of service via crash.
CVE-2025-38621 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-2025-38621? CVE-2025-38621 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-2025-38621? CVE-2025-38621 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-2025-38621? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-38621 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-38621 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-38621 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-2025-38621 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.