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CVE Record

CVE-2025-38565: perf/core: Exit early on perf_mmap() fail

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf/core: Exit early on perf_mmap() fail When perf_mmap() fails to allocate a buffer, it still invokes the event_mapped() callback of the related event. On X86 this might increase the perf_rdpmc_allowed reference counter. But nothing undoes this as perf_mmap_close() is never called in this case, which causes another reference count leak. Return early on failure to prevent that.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2025-38565 is a Linux kernel perf bug. If perf buffer allocation fails, cleanup does not match a callback path, causing a reference count leak. The source does not provide CVSS, CWE, impact severity, or active exploitation evidence, so urgency should be based on kernel exposure and vendor guidance.

Executive priority

Treat this as a routine kernel maintenance item unless vendor guidance raises severity. There is no source-backed active exploitation signal, but kernel bugs can accumulate operational risk, especially on shared Linux hosts.

Technical view

The resolved kernel change exits early when perf_mmap() fails to allocate a buffer. Without that early return, event_mapped() may run, and on x86 can increment perf_rdpmc_allowed without a matching perf_mmap_close(), creating a reference count leak.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions listed in the CVE record, especially x86 systems where the described perf_rdpmc_allowed counter behavior applies. Distribution kernels may differ, so validate using vendor advisory mapping rather than upstream version strings alone.

Exploitation context

The source bundle marks KEV as false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation, public weaponization, or exploitation prerequisites. The available description indicates a kernel reference count leak triggered by a perf_mmap() allocation failure path.

Researcher notes

The key behavior is an error-path ordering bug in perf_mmap(): event_mapped() can run after allocation failure, while perf_mmap_close() never runs. Evidence is incomplete on practical impact, exploitability, and affected downstream package versions.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a vendor-supported kernel containing the stable perf/core fix.
  • For Debian LTS, review and apply the referenced Debian kernel advisories.
  • Prioritize systems exposing perf features to untrusted local users.
  • Check Linux distribution guidance for exact fixed package versions.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers, endpoints, and images.
  • Map installed kernels to the affected versions in the CVE record.
  • Confirm whether vendor packages include the referenced stable commits.
  • Review perf access policy on multi-user or shared compute systems.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
12

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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-2025-38565 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

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.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
12Source links

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CVECVE Program Container

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux1e0fb9ec679c9273a641f1d6f3d25ea47baef2bb, 1e0fb9ec679c9273a641f1d6f3d25ea47baef2bb, 1e0fb9ec679c9273a641f1d6f3d25ea47baef2bb, 1e0fb9ec679c9273a641f1d6f3d25ea47baef2bb, 1e0fb9ec679c9273a641f1d6f3d25ea47baef2bb, 1e0fb9ec679c9273a641f1d6f3d25ea47baef2bb, 1e0fb9ec679c9273a641f1d6f3d25ea47baef2bb, 1e0fb9ec679c9273a641f1d6f3d25ea47baef2bb, 1e0fb9ec679c9273a641f1d6f3d25ea47baef2bbunaffected
LinuxLinux4.0, 0, 5.4.297, 5.10.241, 5.15.190, 6.1.148, 6.6.102, 6.12.42, 6.15.10, 6.16.1, 6.17affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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