Linux Kernel Vulnerability in BNXT Driver from Broadcom

CVE-2025-38186

What is CVE-2025-38186?

A vulnerability in the BNXT driver for the Linux kernel arises from improper handling during the stopping and starting process of the driver. The driver supports RoCE and utilizes functions like bnxt_ulp_stop() and bnxt_ulp_start(). Recent changes introduced a new function, bnxt_ulp_restart(), allowing a call to bnxt_ulp_restart() after bnxt_ulp_stop() has been executed. This can inadvertently cause the driver’s auxiliary driver's suspend method to be invoked twice, leading to a NULL pointer dereference and potential system crashes. Proper checks are necessary to avoid this situation by ensuring state flags are correctly managed.

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