High 7.8Published Jul 25, 2025

CVE-2025-38440net/mlx5e: Fix race between DIM disable and net_dim()

Updated under an hour ago (2026-10-19 06:10 UTC)

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In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/mlx5e: Fix race between DIM disable and net_dim() There's a race between disabling DIM and NAPI callbacks using the dim pointer on the RQ or SQ. If NAPI checks the DIM state bit and sees it still set, it assumes `rq->dim` or `sq->dim` is valid. But if DIM gets disabled right after that check, the pointer might already be set to NULL, leading to a NULL pointer dereference in net_dim(). Fix this by calling `synchronize_net()` before freeing the DIM context. This ensures all in-progress NAPI callbacks are finished before the pointer is cleared. Kernel log: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000000 ... RIP: 0010:net_dim+0x23/0x190 ... Call Trace: <TASK> ? __die+0x20/0x60 ? page_fault_oops+0x150/0x3e0 ? common_interrupt+0xf/0xa0 ? sysvec_call_function_single+0xb/0x90 ? exc_page_fault+0x74/0x130 ? asm_exc_page_fault+0x22/0x30 ? net_dim+0x23/0x190 ? mlx5e_poll_ico_cq+0x41/0x6f0 [mlx5_core] ? sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt+0xb/0x90 mlx5e_handle_rx_dim+0x92/0xd0 [mlx5_core] mlx5e_napi_poll+0x2cd/0xac0 [mlx5_core] ? mlx5e_poll_ico_cq+0xe5/0x6f0 [mlx5_core] busy_poll_stop+0xa2/0x200 ? mlx5e_napi_poll+0x1d9/0xac0 [mlx5_core] ? mlx5e_trigger_irq+0x130/0x130 [mlx5_core] __napi_busy_loop+0x345/0x3b0 ? sysvec_call_function_single+0xb/0x90 ? asm_sysvec_call_function_single+0x16/0x20 ? sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt+0xb/0x90 ? pcpu_free_area+0x1e4/0x2e0 napi_busy_loop+0x11/0x20 xsk_recvmsg+0x10c/0x130 sock_recvmsg+0x44/0x70 __sys_recvfrom+0xbc/0x130 ? __schedule+0x398/0x890 __x64_sys_recvfrom+0x20/0x30 do_syscall_64+0x4c/0x100 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x4b/0x53 ... ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- ... ---[ end Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception in interrupt ]---

CVSS: 7.8 HIGH (v3.1, CNA)CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness (CWE): Not given
Known exploited: Not in CISA's KEV catalog
EPSS (exploitation in the next 30 days): Not loaded for this CVE
Assigned by: Linux
NVD analysis: Modified
Record last updated: Oct 15, 2026
First seen by InfoSec Signals: Oct 15, 2026

Affected products

Affected products

Linux Linux linux:linux (from the name)	from 445a25f6e1a2f6a132b06af6ede4f3c9b5f9af68 before 7581afc051542e11ccf3ade68acd01b7fb1a3cde; 445a25f6e1a2f6a132b06af6ede4f3c9b5f9af68 builds before 2bc6fb90486e42dd80e660ef7a40c02b2516c6d6; from 445a25f6e1a2f6a132b06af6ede4f3c9b5f9af68 before eb41a264a3a576dc040ee37c3d9d6b7e2d9be968	CNA record
linux linux_kernel linux:linux_kernel	from 6.10 before 6.12.39; from 6.13 before 6.15.7; 6.16; 6.16; 6.16; 6.16; 6.16	NVD

References

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7581afc051542e11ccf3ade68acd01b7fb1a3cdepatch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2bc6fb90486e42dd80e660ef7a40c02b2516c6d6patch
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/eb41a264a3a576dc040ee37c3d9d6b7e2d9be968patch

The CVE record on cve.org NVD's entry

The CVE record is authoritative. Products marked “from the name” were identified from the CNA's free-text names, not a CPE, and are matched less certainly. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.