Vulnerability in Linux Kernel Related to GEM Object Instance Stability

CVE-2025-38674

What is CVE-2025-38674?

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel related to the Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) has been identified where the dma_buf field in the drm_gem_object structure becomes unstable over the object's lifetime. Specifically, it becomes NULL once the user space releases the final Graphics Execution Manager (GEM) handle associated with the buffer object, leading to a NULL-pointer dereference. Previous workarounds only partially addressed the issue, particularly affecting buffer objects lacking an associated DRM framebuffer. This situation necessitated reverting to an earlier implementation that utilizes the .import_attach->dmabuf field to ensure better stability and security in handling GEM objects.

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