CVE-2025-38549: efivarfs: Fix memory leak of efivarfs_fs_info in fs_context error paths

Published Aug 16, 2025
·
Updated

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

efivarfs: Fix memory leak of efivarfsfsinfo in fscontext error paths

When processing mount options, efivarfs allocates efivarfsfsinfo (sfi) early in fscontext initialization. However, sfi is associated with the superblock and typically freed when the superblock is destroyed. If the fscontext is released (final put) before fillsuper is called—such as on error paths or during reconfiguration—the sfi structure would leak, as ownership never transfers to the superblock.

Implement the .free callback in efivarfscontextops to ensure any allocated sfi is properly freed if the fscontext is torn down before fillsuper, preventing this memory leak.

Affected Software

142 affected componentsFixes available
Linux Linux kernel
Linux Linux kernel>=6.7<6.12.40
Linux Linux kernel>=6.13<6.15.8
Linux Linux kernel=6.16-rc1
Linux Linux kernel=6.16-rc2
Linux Linux kernel=6.16-rc3
Linux Linux kernel=6.16-rc4
Linux Linux kernel=6.16-rc5
Linux Linux kernel=6.16-rc6
ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.0*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-azure*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-azure-edge*
ubuntu/linux-gcp*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-gke-4.15*
ubuntu/linux-gke-5.4*
ubuntu/linux-gkeop-5.4*
ubuntu/linux-hwe*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-edge*
ubuntu/linux-oem*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.0*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.3*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-gke*
ubuntu/linux-gke-5.15*
ubuntu/linux-gkeop*
ubuntu/linux-gkeop-5.15*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-intel-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.10*
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.6*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.13*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-raspi2*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.11*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.8*
ubuntu/linux-allwinner-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-aws-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.8<6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1
6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-azure-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.8<6.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1
6.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.8<6.8.0-1046.53~22.04.1
6.8.0-1046.53~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.8<6.8.0-1047.50~22.04.2
6.8.0-1047.50~22.04.2
ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.8<6.8.0-100.100~22.04.1
6.8.0-100.100~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-ibm-6.8<6.8.0-1044.44~22.04.1
6.8.0-1044.44~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-intel-iot-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8<6.8.0-100.100.1~22.04.1
6.8.0-100.100.1~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.8<6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1
6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-oem-5.17*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.0*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.1*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.8<6.8.0-1043.44~22.04.1
6.8.0-1043.44~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.8<6.8.0-100.100~22.04.1
6.8.0-100.100~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux-starfive-5.19*
ubuntu/linux-starfive-6.2*
ubuntu/linux-starfive-6.5*
ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.8<6.8.1-1041.42~22.04.1
6.8.1-1041.42~22.04.1
ubuntu/linux<6.8.0-100.100
6.8.0-100.100
ubuntu/linux-aws<6.8.0-1046.49
6.8.0-1046.49
ubuntu/linux-aws-6.14<6.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1
6.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-azure<6.8.0-1046.52
6.8.0-1046.52
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-azure-6.14<6.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1
6.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde<6.8.0-1046.53
6.8.0-1046.53
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia<6.8.0-1039.42
6.8.0-1039.42
ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia-6.14*
ubuntu/linux-gcp<6.8.0-1047.50
6.8.0-1047.50
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.14<6.14.0-1020.21~24.04.1
6.14.0-1020.21~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-gke<6.8.0-1043.48
6.8.0-1043.48
ubuntu/linux-gkeop<6.8.0-1030.33
6.8.0-1030.33
ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-ibm<6.8.0-1044.44
6.8.0-1044.44
ubuntu/linux-intel*
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency<6.8.0-100.100.1
6.8.0-100.100.1
ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia<6.8.0-1046.49
6.8.0-1046.49
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-lowlatency<6.8.0-1046.49.1
6.8.0-1046.49.1
ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra<6.8.0-1016.16
6.8.0-1016.16
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.11*
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.14<6.14.0-1016.16
6.14.0-1016.16
ubuntu/linux-oem-6.8*
ubuntu/linux-oracle<6.8.0-1043.44
6.8.0-1043.44
ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.14<6.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1
6.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-raspi<6.8.0-1047.51
6.8.0-1047.51
ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-realtime*
ubuntu/linux-riscv*
ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.14<6.14.0-36.36.1~24.04.1
6.14.0-36.36.1~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-xilinx<6.8.0-1023.24
6.8.0-1023.24
ubuntu/linux-bluefield<6.8.0-1016.20
6.8.0-1016.20
ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime<6.8.0-2037.38
6.8.0-2037.38
ubuntu/linux-realtime<6.8.1-1041.42
6.8.1-1041.42
ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.14<6.14.0-1016.16~24.04.1
6.14.0-1016.16~24.04.1
ubuntu/linux-aws-fips<6.8.0-1046.49+fips1
6.8.0-1046.49+fips1
ubuntu/linux-azure-fips<6.8.0-1046.52+fips1
6.8.0-1046.52+fips1
ubuntu/linux-fips<6.8.0-100.100+fips1
6.8.0-100.100+fips1
ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips<6.8.0-1047.50+fips1
6.8.0-1047.50+fips1
ubuntu/linux-azure-fde*
ubuntu/linux-vmware*

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fde-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.53~22.04.1
  4. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1047.50~22.04.2
  5. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-100.100~22.04.1
  6. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-ibm-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1044.44~22.04.1
  7. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-100.100.1~22.04.1
  8. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1
  9. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1043.44~22.04.1
  10. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-100.100~22.04.1
  11. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.1-1041.42~22.04.1
  12. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-100.100
  13. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49
  14. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-6.14 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1
  15. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.52
  16. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-6.14 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1
  17. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fde to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.53
  18. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1039.42
  19. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1047.50
  20. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.14 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.14.0-1020.21~24.04.1
  21. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gke to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1043.48
  22. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gkeop to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1030.33
  23. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-ibm to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1044.44
  24. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-lowlatency to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-100.100.1
  25. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49
  26. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia-lowlatency to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49.1
  27. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1016.16
  28. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oem-6.14 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.14.0-1016.16
  29. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1043.44
  30. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.14 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.14.0-1017.17~24.04.1
  31. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-raspi to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1047.51
  32. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.14 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.14.0-36.36.1~24.04.1
  33. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-xilinx to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1023.24
  34. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-bluefield to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1016.20
  35. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-2037.38
  36. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-realtime to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.1-1041.42
  37. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.14 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.14.0-1016.16~24.04.1
  38. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49+fips1
  39. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.52+fips1
  40. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-100.100+fips1
  41. Upgrade

    Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.8.0-1047.50+fips1
  42. Compensating control

    Implement the .free callback in efivarfs_context_ops so any allocated efivarfs_fs_info (sfi) is freed when the fs_context is torn down before fill_super.

Event History

Aug 16, 2025
CVE Published
via MITRE·11:34 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·11:34 AM
Description
Data Sourced
via OSV·12:15 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via NVD·12:15 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2025-38549?

CVE-2025-38549 is classified as a moderate severity vulnerability.

2

How do I fix CVE-2025-38549?

To resolve CVE-2025-38549, update to the latest version of the Linux kernel that includes the fix for this vulnerability.

3

Which Linux kernel versions are affected by CVE-2025-38549?

CVE-2025-38549 affects multiple versions of the Linux kernel prior to the patch release.

4

What is the nature of the vulnerability in CVE-2025-38549?

CVE-2025-38549 involves a memory leak in efivarfs which can occur during the processing of mount options.

5

Is CVE-2025-38549 a remote code execution vulnerability?

No, CVE-2025-38549 does not represent a remote code execution vulnerability; it is related to a local memory leak.

Company

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