CVE-2025-38433
- Published: 2025-07-25T15:15:28.570
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
riscv: fix runtime constant support for nommu kernels
the `__runtime_fixup_32` function does not handle the case where `val` is
zero correctly (as might occur when patching a nommu kernel and referring
to a physical address below the 4GiB boundary whose upper 32 bits are all
zero) because nothing in the existing logic prevents the code from taking
the `else` branch of both nop-checks and emitting two `nop` instructions.
This leaves random garbage in the register that is supposed to receive the
upper 32 bits of the pointer instead of zero that when combined with the
value for the lower 32 bits yields an invalid pointer and causes a kernel
panic when that pointer is eventually accessed.
The author clearly considered the fact that if the `lui` is converted into
a `nop` that the second instruction needs to be adjusted to become an `li`
instead of an `addi`, hence introducing the `addi_insn_mask` variable, but
didn’t follow that logic through fully to the case where the `else` branch
executes. To fix it just adjust the logic to ensure that the second `else`
branch is not taken if the first instruction will be patched to a `nop`.
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How to fix CVE-2025-38433
Description: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: riscv: fix runtime constant support for nommu kernels the `__runtime_fixup_32` function does not handle the case where `val` is zero correctly (as might occur when patching a nommu kernel and referring to a physical address below the 4GiB boundary whose upper 32 bits are all […]
Exploit Difficulty: HARD
⏱️ Time to exploit: > 4 hours
🛠️ Required skills: Advanced security expertise
💰 Public exploits: Rare or not public
How to Fix:
- Check if you're running the affected product
- Update to the latest patched version
- If patching is not immediately possible: restrict network exposure, apply least-privilege access
- Test the fix in a staging environment first
- Review logs for signs of exploitation
- Monitor for IOCs (Indicators of Compromise)
- Enable automatic security updates
- Set up vulnerability monitoring
- Review and harden security configurations
Exploit Difficulty Assessment
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