Kernel Panic Vulnerability in Linux Kernel Affecting ARM NI Devices

CVE-2025-38168

What is CVE-2025-38168?

A vulnerability was identified in the Linux kernel related to the performance monitoring unit (PMU) management for ARM NI devices. When resource allocation fails in a clock domain of the NI device, the system fails to correctly rollback previously registered PMUs across other domains. This oversight can lead to severe stability issues, including kernel panics, compromising the system's reliability. The vulnerability manifests as a corruption of the linked list structure within the kernel, which could result in a fatal exception and disrupt the normal operation of affected systems.

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