CVE-2025-38656 | wifi: iwlwifi: Fix error code in iwl_op_mode_dvm_start()

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: iwlwifi: Fix error code in iwl_op_mode_dvm_start() Preserve the error code if iwl_setup_deferred_work() fails. The current code returns ERR_PTR(0) (which is NULL) on this path. I believe the missing error code potentially leads to a use after free involving debugfs.

Published: 2025-08-22 Last update: 2025-11-26 Assigner: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67 Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
NVD Status：Analyzed，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2025-38656 is rated Low Risk (32.9/100): CVSS High severity, with low exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.15%). Monitor for updates and reassess as exploit intelligence or EPSS changes.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2025-38656

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-06-15 0.02% 0.15% +0.13%
2 2025-08-23 — 0.02% —

Full EPSS history (2 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2025-38656

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
7.8 3.1 HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:L)
They already need access on the box, or another person has to do something wrong; it’s not a remote drive-by.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:L)
A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 1.8 5.9 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2025-38656

OS Trackers for CVE-2025-38656

vendor priority summary link
debian unimportant CVE-2025-38656 unimportant priority: Debian including 1 source packages (linux), 5 status rows across 5 suites (bookworm, bullseye, forky, sid, trixie): resolved 5. https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2025-38656
redhat — — https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-38656
suse medium CVE-2025-38656 severity moderate: SUSE including 495 source package names (2.1.3-6.73:kernel-default-base-6.4.0-34.1.21.11, 2.1.3-7.50:kernel-default-6.4.0-34.1, …), 1149 product×package rows across 220 product lines (Container suse/sl-micro/6.0/base-os-container, Container suse/sl-micro/6.0/kvm-os-container, … (220 product lines)): Fixed 682, Known Affected 231, Known Not Affected 215, First Fixed 21. https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-38656/
ubuntu medium CVE-2025-38656 medium priority: Ubuntu including 144 source packages (linux, linux-allwinner-5.19, …), 1152 status rows across 8 suites (bionic, focal, jammy, noble, plucky, trusty, upstream, xenial): DNE 797, ignored 157, not-affected 125, released 73. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-38656

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2025-38656

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
linux linux_kernel >= 5.4.297, < 5.5 cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
linux linux_kernel >= 5.10.241, < 5.11 cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
linux linux_kernel >= 5.15.190, < 5.16 cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
linux linux_kernel >= 6.1.148, < 6.2 cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
linux linux_kernel >= 6.6.102, < 6.7 cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
linux linux_kernel >= 6.12.42, < 6.13 cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2025-38656

cvelogic Threat Intelligence