Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A Linux Ethernet driver can create network packet buffers without reserving required bookkeeping space. On systems using the affected Texas Instruments AM65 CPSW NUSS driver, network activity may cause a crash or service disruption. The supplied assessment rates this high because triggering requires no privileges or user interaction and primarily threatens availability.
Executive priority
Prioritize affected embedded, industrial, or appliance systems exposed to untrusted networks, especially where downtime has operational consequences. Patch through supported vendor channels promptly. Systems without the relevant TI driver and hardware are unlikely to be exposed, so confirm applicability before emergency-wide deployment.
Technical view
The am65-cpsw-nuss driver’s transition from netdev_alloc_ip_align() to build_skb() omitted allocation space for skb_shared_info. The referenced fixes allocate PAGE_SIZE for the skb backing area, covering packet data, headroom, tailroom, and shared metadata. The supplied CVSS 3.1 score is 7.5, with network reachability and availability impact only.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to Linux systems using the affected TI am65-cpsw-nuss Ethernet driver and relevant hardware. The bundle identifies 6.10, 6.12.39, 6.15.7, and 6.16 as affected, but also contains ambiguous version data. Confirm exposure using vendor package information and referenced fix commits, not version numbers alone.
Exploitation context
The CVSS vector describes remote, low-complexity, unauthenticated triggering without user interaction. However, the supplied sources provide no evidence of public exploitation, and this CVE is not listed as KEV in the bundle. Treat it as a remotely reachable denial-of-service risk, not confirmed active exploitation.
Researcher notes
The core defect is an undersized skb backing allocation after adopting build_skb(), specifically excluding space required for skb_shared_info. The source bundle does not document a proof of concept, observed attacks, confidentiality impact, or integrity impact. Its affected-version metadata is internally unclear, making commit-level or vendor-package verification important.
Mitigation direction
- Apply a vendor-supported kernel release containing the applicable referenced stable fix.
- Check Linux distribution or device-vendor advisories for exact fixed package versions.
- Prioritize systems whose TI am65-cpsw-nuss interface processes untrusted network traffic.
- Where updates are delayed, follow vendor guidance and restrict unnecessary network exposure.
Validation and detection
- Identify systems with the TI am65-cpsw-nuss driver enabled and relevant hardware present.
- Record each system’s running kernel build and distribution package revision.
- Verify package changelogs or kernel sources include the applicable referenced fix commit.
- After updating, test network operation and monitor for crashes or abnormal resets.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
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CVE-2025-38545 mapping review
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Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H3.93.6LinuxVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.5HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fc2fffa2facac15ce711e95f98f954426e025bc5CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7d6ca0c8c0caf9a13cae2de763bb1f2a9ea7eabbCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/02c4d6c26f1f662da8885b299c224ca6628ad232CVE reference, Linux
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.