Linux Kernel Vulnerability in GEM Object Management

CVE-2025-38669

What is CVE-2025-38669?

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel related to the handling of the dma_buf field in struct drm_gem_object has been identified. This issue arises when the field becomes NULL after user space releases the last GEM handle for a buffer object, potentially leading to a NULL-pointer dereference. Previous attempts to mitigate this vulnerability through workarounds were only partially effective, particularly for buffer objects that do not have an associated DRM framebuffer. The solution involves reverting to the previous method of using .import_attach->dmabuf for safer buffer management.

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