CVE-2025-38521: linux kernel Resource Exposure — Fix

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/imagination: Fix kernel crash when hard resetting the GPU The GPU hard reset sequence calls pm_runtime_force_suspend() and pm_runtime_force_resume(), which according to their documentation should only be used during system-wide PM transitions to sleep states. The main issue though is that depending on some internal runtime PM state as seen by pm_runtime_force_suspend() (whether the usage count is <= 1), pm_runtime_force_resume() might not resume the device unless needed. If that happens, the runtime PM resume callback pvr_power_device_resume() is not called, the GPU clocks are not re-enabled, and the kernel crashes on the next attempt to access GPU registers as part of the power-on sequence. Replace calls to pm_runtime_force_suspend() and pm_runtime_force_resume() with direct calls to the driver's runtime PM callbacks, pvr_power_device_suspend() and pvr_power_device_resume(), to ensure clocks are re-enabled and avoid the kernel crash.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

7.1

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-668 CWE-668

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
linux	linux_kernel	6.8 — 6.12.39
linux	linux_kernel	6.13 — 6.15.7
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All

References

Advisories & Patches

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9f852d301f642223c4798f3c13ba15e91165d078 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d38376b3ee48d073c64e75e150510d7e6b4b04f7 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e066cc6e0f094ca2120f1928d126d56f686cd73e

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-38521? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/imagination: Fix kernel crash when hard resetting the GPU The GPU hard reset sequence calls pm_runtime_force_suspend() and pm_runtime_force_resume(), which according to their documentation should only be used during system-wide PM transitions to sleep states. The main issue though is that depending on some internal runtime PM state as seen by pm_runtime_force_suspend() (whether the usage count is <= 1), pm_runtime_force_resume() might not resume the device unless needed. If that happens, the runtime PM resume callback pvr_power_device_resume() is not called, the GPU clocks are not re-enabled, and the kernel crashes on the next attempt to access GPU registers as part of the power-on sequence. Replace calls to pm_runtime_force_suspend() and pm_runtime_force_resume() with direct calls to the driver's runtime PM callbacks, pvr_power_device_suspend() and pvr_power_device_resume(), to ensure clocks are re-enabled and avoid the kernel crash. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.1 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2025-38521? +

CVE-2025-38521 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.1 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching.

What products are affected by CVE-2025-38521? +

CVE-2025-38521 affects products from linux, specifically: linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2025-38521? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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