DMA Buffer Management Issue in Linux Kernel

CVE-2025-38533

What is CVE-2025-38533?

A vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's network component involving the wx_rx_buffer structure, which contains uninitialized DMA address fields. Specifically, while the 'page_dma' field is initialized and effectively utilized, the 'dma' field remains uninitialized in certain scenarios. This oversight can trigger undefined behavior, potentially leading to DMA errors or use-after-free vulnerabilities if the uninitialized 'dma' address is inadvertently accessed. Although there have been no reported occurrences of such issues, the importance of rectifying this coding behavior is underscored.

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