HID: appletb-kbd: fix memory corruption of input_handler_list
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-787 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: HID: appletb-kbd: fix memory corruption of input_handler_list In appletb_kbd_probe an input handler is initialised and then registered with input core through input_register_handler(). When this happens input core will add the input handler (specifically its node) to the global input_handler_list. The input_handler_list is central to the functionality of input core and is traversed in various places in input core. An example of this is when a new input device is plugged in and gets registered with input core. The input_handler in probe is allocated as device managed memory. If a probe failure occurs after input_register_handler() the input_handler memory is freed, yet it will remain in the input_handler_list. This effectively means the input_handler_list contains a dangling pointer to data belonging to a freed input handler. This causes an issue when any other input device is plugged in - in my case I had an old PixArt HP USB optical mouse and I decided to plug it in after a failure occurred after input_register_handler(). This lead to the registration of this input device via input_register_device which involves traversing over every handler in the corrupted input_handler_list and calling input_attach_handler(), giving each handler a chance to bind to newly registered device. The core of this bug is a UAF which causes memory corruption of input_handler_list and to fix it we must ensure the input handler is unregistered from input core, this is done through input_unregister_handler(). [ 63.191597] ================================================================== [ 63.192094] BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in input_attach_handler.isra.0+0x1a9/0x1e0 [ 63.192094] Read of size 8 at addr ffff888105ea7c80 by task kworker/0:2/54 [ 63.192094] [ 63.192094] CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 54 Comm: kworker/0:2 Not tainted 6.16.0-rc2-00321-g2aa6621d [ 63.192094] Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.16.2-debian-1.164 [ 63.192094] Workqueue: usb_hub_wq hub_event [ 63.192094] Call Trace: [ 63.192094] <TASK> [ 63.192094] dump_stack_lvl+0x53/0x70 [ 63.192094] print_report+0xce/0x670 [ 63.192094] kasan_report+0xce/0x100 [ 63.192094] input_attach_handler.isra.0+0x1a9/0x1e0 [ 63.192094] input_register_device+0x76c/0xd00 [ 63.192094] hidinput_connect+0x686d/0xad60 [ 63.192094] hid_connect+0xf20/0x1b10 [ 63.192094] hid_hw_start+0x83/0x100 [ 63.192094] hid_device_probe+0x2d1/0x680 [ 63.192094] really_probe+0x1c3/0x690 [ 63.192094] __driver_probe_device+0x247/0x300 [ 63.192094] driver_probe_device+0x49/0x210 [ 63.192094] __device_attach_driver+0x160/0x320 [ 63.192094] bus_for_each_drv+0x10f/0x190 [ 63.192094] __device_attach+0x18e/0x370 [ 63.192094] bus_probe_device+0x123/0x170 [ 63.192094] device_add+0xd4d/0x1460 [ 63.192094] hid_add_device+0x30b/0x910 [ 63.192094] usbhid_probe+0x920/0xe00 [ 63.192094] usb_probe_interface+0x363/0x9a0 [ 63.192094] really_probe+0x1c3/0x690 [ 63.192094] __driver_probe_device+0x247/0x300 [ 63.192094] driver_probe_device+0x49/0x210 [ 63.192094] __device_attach_driver+0x160/0x320 [ 63.192094] bus_for_each_drv+0x10f/0x190 [ 63.192094] __device_attach+0x18e/0x370 [ 63.192094] bus_probe_device+0x123/0x170 [ 63.192094] device_add+0xd4d/0x1460 [ 63.192094] usb_set_configuration+0xd14/0x1880 [ 63.192094] usb_generic_driver_probe+0x78/0xb0 [ 63.192094] usb_probe_device+0xaa/0x2e0 [ 63.192094] really_probe+0x1c3/0x690 [ 63.192094] __driver_probe_device+0x247/0x300 [ 63.192094] driver_probe_device+0x49/0x210 [ 63.192094] __device_attach_driver+0x160/0x320 [ 63.192094] bus_for_each_drv+0x10f/0x190 [ 63.192094] __device_attach+0x18e/0x370 [ 63.192094] bus_probe_device+0x123/0x170 [ 63.192094] device_add+0xd4d/0x1460 [ 63.192094] usb_new_device+0x7b4/0x1000 [ 63.192094] hub_event+0x234d/0x3 ---truncated---
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6.15 and later | 6.15.6, 6.16 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.15 and later Fixed in 6.15.6, 6.16 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 5
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 to before 6.15.6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.16 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.16 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.16 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.16 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 to before 6.15.6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.16 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.16 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.16 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.16 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.15.6, 6.16
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-38394
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-6r64-vv6h-j895
References
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2025-38394 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-38394 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-6r64-vv6h-j895 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2025-38394 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences