Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2025-37949)
Summary
Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2025-37949). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
xenbus: Use kref to track req lifetime
Marek reported seeing a NULL pointer fault in the xenbus_thread
callstack:
BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000000
RIP: e030:__wake_up_common+0x4c/0x180
Call Trace:
__wake_up_common_lock+0x82/0xd0
process_msg+0x18e/0x2f0
xenbus_thread+0x165/0x1c0
process_msg+0x18e is req->cb(req). req->cb is set to xs_wake_up(), a
thin wrapper around wake_up(), or xenbus_dev_queue_reply(). It seems
like it was xs_wake_up() in this case.
It seems like req may have woken up the xs_wait_for_reply(), which
kfree()ed the req. When xenbus_thread resumes, it faults on the zero-ed
data.
Linux Device Drivers 2nd edition states:
"Normally, a wake_up call can cause an immediate reschedule to happen,
meaning that other processes might run before wake_up returns."
... which would match the behaviour observed.
Change to keeping two krefs on each request. One for the caller, and
one for xenbus_thread. Each will kref_put() when finished, and the last
will free it.
This use of kref matches the description in
Documentation/core-api/kref.rst
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database NVD
Auto-generated summary
Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.
A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2025-37949 has been found in Linux kernel.
Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. CVSS score: 7.8/10.
What to do: apply the vendor's official patched release.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "Linux kernel CVE-2025-37949" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2025-37949 (Linux kernel) — CWE-476 / CVSS v3 7.8
Attack vector: local / no user interaction
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.
A vulnerability (CWE-476) exists in Linux kernel.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of Linux kernel.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.8/10). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Update to the patched release per vendor advisory.
Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.
Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Audit SBOM/dependencies to find affected services.
Response actions
Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order
-
1Identify exposure identify
Audit SBOM/dependencies for affected components.資産台帳・SBOM・依存マニフェストで Linux kernel を使っているサービスとバージョンを洗い出す。
-
2Post-deployment verification verify
Confirm patched version is live in productionパッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。
Affected packages
Fix status by distribution
Fixed packages published by each distribution for this CVE
- BellSoft Alpaquita BELL-CVE-2025-37949 linux-lts Fixed in: 6.1.140-r0
- Debian DEBIAN-CVE-2025-37949 linux Fixed in: 5.10.244-1
- Ubuntu UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37949 linux-azure
References
- advisory github.com
- advisory nvd.nist.gov
- package git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web git.kernel.org
- web lists.debian.org
- web lists.debian.org