can: netlink: can_changelink(): fix NULL pointer deref of struct can_priv::do_set_mode
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-476.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: can: netlink: can_changelink(): fix NULL pointer deref of struct can_priv::do_set_mode Andrei Lalaev reported a NULL pointer deref when a CAN device is restarted from Bus Off and the driver does not implement the struct can_priv::do_set_mode callback. There are 2 code path that call struct can_priv::do_set_mode: - directly by a manual restart from the user space, via can_changelink() - delayed automatic restart after bus off (deactivated by default) To prevent the NULL pointer deference, refuse a manual restart or configure the automatic restart delay in can_changelink() and report the error via extack to user space. As an additional safety measure let can_restart() return an error if can_priv::do_set_mode is not set instead of dereferencing it unchecked.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 2.6.31 and later | 6.1.148, 6.6.101, 6.12.41, 6.15.9, 6.16 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.31 and later Fixed in 6.1.148, 6.6.101, 6.12.41, 6.15.9, 6.16 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 9
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.31 to before 6.1.148; 6.2 to before 6.6.101; 6.7 to before 6.12.41; 6.13 to before 6.15.9 | 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:6.16:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.16 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.16 rc6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.16 rc7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 11.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.31 to before 6.1.148; 6.2 to before 6.6.101; 6.7 to before 6.12.41; 6.13 to before 6.15.9 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
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.16 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.16 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.16 rc7 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.148, 6.6.101, 6.12.41, 6.15.9, 6.16
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-38665
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-33pj-gwj2-3g99
- 2026-11-05 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
Patch 5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6bbcf37c5114926c99a1d1e6993a5b35689d2599
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cf81a60a973358dea163f6b14062f17831ceb894
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0ca816a96fdcf32644c80cbe7a82c7b6ce6ddda5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6acceb46180f9e160d4f0c56fcaf39ba562822ae
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c1f3f9797c1f44a762e6f5f72520b2e520537b52
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-2025-38665 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-38665 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-33pj-gwj2-3g99 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2025-38665 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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