UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38020: Null Pointer Dereference

Q: Which systems are exposed to this issue?

Systems using an affected Ubuntu kernel package listed in the advisory are exposed only when the mlx5e driver is operating in switchdev mode with an uplink representor profile and MACsec offload remains enabled.

Q: What does an attacker or local user need to trigger the failure?

The issue is locally reachable (AV:L) and requires low privileges (PR:L). Triggering it requires an attempt to add MACsec offloads while the uplink representor has the MACsec hardware-offload feature incorrectly enabled.

Q: What is the practical impact?

Adding the unsupported MACsec offload can dereference a null pointer and crash the kernel, causing a denial of service. The provided severity vector indicates no confidentiality or integrity impact.

Q: How can I identify a potentially affected configuration?

Look for mlx5e uplink representors in switchdev mode with MACsec hardware offload enabled. Affected attempts to add offloads may produce a kernel Oops or KASAN null-pointer-dereference report.

Q: What mitigation is available if an updated kernel cannot be installed immediately?

Avoid enabling or adding MACsec offloads on mlx5e uplink representors operating in switchdev mode. The fix clears the NETIF_F_HW_MACSEC feature for the uplink representor profile.

Published Jun 18, 2025

Updated

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/mlx5e: Disable MACsec offload for uplink representor profile MACsec offload is not supported in switchdev mode for uplink representors. When switching to the uplink representor profile, the MACsec offload feature must be cleared from the netdevice's features. If left enabled, attempts to add offloads result in a null pointer dereference, as the uplink representor does not support MACsec offload even though the feature bit remains set. Clear NETIFFHWMACSEC in mlx5efixuplinkrepfeatures(). Kernel log: Oops: general protection fault, probably for non-canonical address 0xdffffc000000000f: 0000 [#1] SMP KASAN KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000078-0x000000000000007f] CPU: 29 UID: 0 PID: 4714 Comm: ip Not tainted 6.14.0-rc4forupstreamdebug202503021735 #1 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS rel-1.16.0-0-gd239552ce722-prebuilt.qemu.org 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:mutexlock+0x128/0x1dd0 Code: d0 7c 08 84 d2 0f 85 ad 15 00 00 8b 35 91 5c fe 03 85 f6 75 29 49 8d 7e 60 48 b8 00 00 00 00 00 fc ff df 48 89 fa 48 c1 ea 03 <80> 3c 02 00 0f 85 a6 15 00 00 4d 3b 76 60 0f 85 fd 0b 00 00 65 ff RSP: 0018:ffff888147a4f160 EFLAGS: 00010206 RAX: dffffc0000000000 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 0000000000000001 RDX: 000000000000000f RSI: 0000000000000000 RDI: 0000000000000078 RBP: ffff888147a4f2e0 R08: ffffffffa05d2c19 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000001 R11: 0000000000000000 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: dffffc0000000000 R14: 0000000000000018 R15: ffff888152de0000 FS: 00007f855e27d800(0000) GS:ffff88881ee80000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 00000000004e5768 CR3: 000000013ae7c005 CR4: 0000000000372eb0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe07f0 DR7: 0000000000000400 Call Trace: <TASK> ? dieaddr+0x3d/0xa0 ? excgeneralprotection+0x144/0x220 ? asmexcgeneralprotection+0x22/0x30 ? mlx5emacsecaddsecy+0xf9/0x700 [mlx5core] ? mutexlock+0x128/0x1dd0 ? lockdepsetlockcmpfn+0x190/0x190 ? mlx5emacsecaddsecy+0xf9/0x700 [mlx5core] ? mutexlockionested+0x1ae0/0x1ae0 ? lockacquire+0x1c2/0x530 ? macsecupdoffload+0x145/0x380 ? lockdephardirqsonprepare+0x400/0x400 ? kasansavestack+0x30/0x40 ? kasansavestack+0x20/0x40 ? kasansavetrack+0x10/0x30 ? kasankmalloc+0x77/0x90 ? kmallocnoprof+0x249/0x6b0 ? genlfamilyrcvmsgattrsparse.constprop.0+0xb5/0x240 ? mlx5emacsecaddsecy+0xf9/0x700 [mlx5core] mlx5emacsecaddsecy+0xf9/0x700 [mlx5core] ? mlx5emacsecaddrxsa+0x11a0/0x11a0 [mlx5core] macsecupdateoffload+0x26c/0x820 ? macsecsetmacaddress+0x4b0/0x4b0 ? lockdephardirqsonprepare+0x284/0x400 ? rawspinunlockirqrestore+0x47/0x50 macsecupdoffload+0x2c8/0x380 ? macsecupdateoffload+0x820/0x820 ? nlaparse+0x22/0x30 ? genlfamilyrcvmsgattrsparse.constprop.0+0x15e/0x240 genlfamilyrcvmsgdoit+0x1cc/0x2a0 ? genlfamilyrcvmsgattrsparse.constprop.0+0x240/0x240 ? capcapable+0xd4/0x330 genlrcvmsg+0x3ea/0x670 ? genlfamilyrcvmsgdumpit+0x2a0/0x2a0 ? lockdepsetlockcmpfn+0x190/0x190 ? macsecupdateoffload+0x820/0x820 netlinkrcvskb+0x12b/0x390 ? genlfamilyrcvmsgdumpit+0x2a0/0x2a0 ? netlinkack+0xd80/0xd80 ? rwsemdownreadslowpath+0xf90/0xf90 ? netlinkdelivertap+0xcd/0xac0 ? netlinkdelivertap+0x155/0xac0 ? copyfromiter+0x1bb/0x12c0 genlrcv+0x24/0x40 netlinkunicast+0x440/0x700 ? netlinkattachskb+0x760/0x760 ? lockacquire+0x1c2/0x530 ? mightfault+0xbb/0x170 netlinksendmsg+0x749/0xc10 ? netlinkunicast+0x700/0x700 ? mightfault+0xbb/0x170 ? netlinkunicast+0x700/0x700 socksendmsg+0xc5/0x190 syssendmsg+0x53f/0x760 ? importiovec+0x7/0x10 ? kernelsendmsg+0x30/0x30 ? copymsghdr+0x3c0/0x3c0 ? filterirqstacks+0x90/0x90 ? stackdepotsaveflags+0x28/0xa30 syssen ---truncated---

Affected Software

130 affected componentsFixes available

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<6.14.0-1011.11~24.04.1

6.14.0-1011.11~24.04.1

ubuntu/linux-azure<6.8.0-1046.52

6.8.0-1046.52

ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11*

ubuntu/linux-azure-fde<6.8.0-1046.53

6.8.0-1046.53

ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia<6.8.0-1039.42

6.8.0-1039.42

ubuntu/linux-gcp<6.8.0-1047.50

6.8.0-1047.50

ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.11*

ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.14<6.14.0-1014.15~24.04.1

6.14.0-1014.15~24.04.1

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<6.8.0-1020.20

6.8.0-1020.20

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.11*

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.14<6.14.0-1010.10

6.14.0-1010.10

ubuntu/linux-oem-6.8*

ubuntu/linux-oracle<6.8.0-1043.44

6.8.0-1043.44

ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.14<6.14.0-1011.11~24.04.1

6.14.0-1011.11~24.04.1

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<6.14.0-28.28.1~24.04.1

6.14.0-28.28.1~24.04.1

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<6.14.0-1010.10~24.04.1

6.14.0-1010.10~24.04.1

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.

Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1
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
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1047.50~22.04.2
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-hwe-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-100.100~22.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-ibm-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1044.44~22.04.1
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
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1043.44~22.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-100.100~22.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.8 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.1-1041.42~22.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-100.100
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-6.14 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.14.0-1011.11~24.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.52
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fde to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.53
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1039.42
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1047.50
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-6.14 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.14.0-1014.15~24.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gke to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1043.48
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gkeop to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1030.33
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-ibm to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1044.44
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-lowlatency to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-100.100.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia-lowlatency to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-nvidia-tegra to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1020.20
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oem-6.14 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.14.0-1010.10
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1043.44
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-oracle-6.14 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.14.0-1011.11~24.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-raspi to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1047.51
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-riscv-6.14 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.14.0-28.28.1~24.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-xilinx to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1023.24
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-bluefield to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1016.20
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-2037.38
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-realtime to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.1-1041.42
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-realtime-6.14 to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.14.0-1010.10~24.04.1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-aws-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49+fips1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-azure-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1046.52+fips1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-100.100+fips1
Upgrade
Upgrade ubuntu/linux-gcp-fips to a version that resolves this vulnerability.
Fixed in 6.8.0-1047.50+fips1
Configuration
Clear NETIF_F_HW_MACSEC in mlx5e_fix_uplink_rep_features() so MACsec offload is disabled for the uplink representor.
mlx5e uplink representor NETIF_F_HW_MACSEC = cleared

Event History

Jun 18, 2025

CVE Published

via OSV·10:15 AM

Data Sourced

via OSV·10:15 AM

DescriptionSeverityAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

Which systems are exposed to this issue?

Systems using an affected Ubuntu kernel package listed in the advisory are exposed only when the mlx5e driver is operating in switchdev mode with an uplink representor profile and MACsec offload remains enabled.

What does an attacker or local user need to trigger the failure?

The issue is locally reachable (AV:L) and requires low privileges (PR:L). Triggering it requires an attempt to add MACsec offloads while the uplink representor has the MACsec hardware-offload feature incorrectly enabled.

What is the practical impact?

Adding the unsupported MACsec offload can dereference a null pointer and crash the kernel, causing a denial of service. The provided severity vector indicates no confidentiality or integrity impact.

How can I identify a potentially affected configuration?

Look for mlx5e uplink representors in switchdev mode with MACsec hardware offload enabled. Affected attempts to add offloads may produce a kernel Oops or KASAN null-pointer-dereference report.

What mitigation is available if an updated kernel cannot be installed immediately?

Avoid enabling or adding MACsec offloads on mlx5e uplink representors operating in switchdev mode. The fix clears the NETIF_F_HW_MACSEC feature for the uplink representor profile.

UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38020: Null Pointer Dereference

Affected Software

Remediation

Event History

Frequently Asked Questions

Which systems are exposed to this issue?

What does an attacker or local user need to trigger the failure?

What is the practical impact?

How can I identify a potentially affected configuration?

What mitigation is available if an updated kernel cannot be installed immediately?

Company

Resources

Contact

Frequently Asked Questions

Which systems are exposed to this issue?

What does an attacker or local user need to trigger the failure?

What is the practical impact?

How can I identify a potentially affected configuration?

What mitigation is available if an updated kernel cannot be installed immediately?