CVE-2025-38668
- Published: 2025-08-22T16:15:42.283
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
regulator: core: fix NULL dereference on unbind due to stale coupling data
Failing to reset coupling_desc.n_coupled after freeing coupled_rdevs can
lead to NULL pointer dereference when regulators are accessed post-unbind.
This can happen during runtime PM or other regulator operations that rely
on coupling metadata.
For example, on ridesx4, unbinding the ‘reg-dummy’ platform device triggers
a panic in regulator_lock_recursive() due to stale coupling state.
Ensure n_coupled is set to 0 to prevent access to invalid pointers.
Related CVE by CWE
No related CWE found.
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How to fix CVE-2025-38668
Description: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: regulator: core: fix NULL dereference on unbind due to stale coupling data Failing to reset coupling_desc.n_coupled after freeing coupled_rdevs can lead to NULL pointer dereference when regulators are accessed post-unbind. This can happen during runtime PM or other regulator operations that rely on coupling metadata. […]
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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CVE details first published to NVD database
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No vendor/product data available.