CVE intelligence and bounded remediation

CVE-2025-38513 — Linux Linux Kernel security vulnerability

Medium CVSS 5.5

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: zd1211rw: Fix potential NULL pointer dereference in zd_mac_tx_to_dev() There is a potential NULL pointer dereference in zd_mac_tx_to_dev(). For example, the following is possible: T0 T1 zd_mac_tx_to_dev() /* len == skb_queue_len(q) */ while (len > ZD_MAC_MAX_ACK_WAITERS) { filter_ack() spin_lock_irqsave(&q->lock, flags); /* position == skb_queue_len(q) */ for (i=1; i<position; i++) skb = __skb_dequeue(q) if (mac->type == NL80211_IFTYPE_AP) skb = __skb_dequeue(q); spin_unlock_irqrestore(&q->lock, flags); skb_dequeue() -> NULL Since there is a small gap between checking skb queue length and skb being unconditionally dequeued in zd_mac_tx_to_dev(), skb_dequeue() can return NULL. Then the pointer is passed to zd_mac_tx_status() where it is dereferenced. In order to avoid potential NULL pointer dereference due to situations like above, check if skb is not NULL before passing it to zd_mac_tx_status(). Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with SVACE.

Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.5 (3.1)
Published
2025-08-16
CISA KEV
Not currently listed
Ecosystem
linux/kernel
Weaknesses
CWE-476

Affected products

  • linux / linux_kernel
  • linux / linux_kernel / 6.16

Showing 2 representative product identities from 13 source matches. Confirm exact affected versions with the linked vendor and NVD evidence.

Matched remediation archetype

Buffer bounds, memory safety, and memory corruption

This catalog composition supplies bounded fallback guidance. Explicitly reviewed curated workflows load with the complete record below.

Check exposure

  • Identify affected native-code versions, build flags, architectures, parsers, codecs, drivers, and input paths in all shipped artifacts.
  • Determine whether untrusted data reaches the affected routine and the process privilege, sandbox, and network exposure.
  • Confirm statically linked, vendored, firmware, and platform-provided copies, not only package-manager records.

Remediate safely

  • Apply the maintained upstream correction or replace the affected component, then rebuild every dependent artifact from clean inputs.
  • Adopt bounds-checked interfaces, validated sizes and integer conversions, clear ownership, and memory-safe components where practical.
  • Enable supported compiler and runtime hardening and add sanitized tests and fuzz regression seeds derived from non-weaponized fixtures.

Authoritative sources

Complete CVE record and remediation plan

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