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CVE Record

CVE-2025-38735: gve: prevent ethtool ops after shutdown

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: gve: prevent ethtool ops after shutdown A crash can occur if an ethtool operation is invoked after shutdown() is called. shutdown() is invoked during system shutdown to stop DMA operations without performing expensive deallocations. It is discouraged to unregister the netdev in this path, so the device may still be visible to userspace and kernel helpers. In gve, shutdown() tears down most internal data structures. If an ethtool operation is dispatched after shutdown(), it will dereference freed or NULL pointers, leading to a kernel panic. While graceful shutdown normally quiesces userspace before invoking the reboot syscall, forced shutdowns (as observed on GCP VMs) can still trigger this path. Fix by calling netif_device_detach() in shutdown(). This marks the device as detached so the ethtool ioctl handler will skip dispatching operations to the driver.

HighCVSS 7.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A shutdown race in the Linux gve network driver can crash the operating system. During forced shutdown, the device may remain visible after internal data is removed; a concurrent ethtool request can then trigger a kernel panic. The principal business impact is disrupted shutdown or restart of affected systems, particularly GCP virtual machines using gve.

Executive priority

Treat as a high-priority reliability issue for affected GCP or gve-based fleets, especially systems frequently stopped, restarted, or preempted. Patch through normal expedited kernel maintenance. Broader emergency action is not supported because exposure is conditional and the supplied sources show no active exploitation.

Technical view

The gve shutdown handler releases or clears internal structures while leaving the network device accessible. A subsequent ethtool operation can dereference freed or NULL pointers and panic the kernel. The fix calls netif_device_detach() during shutdown, causing the ethtool ioctl handler to avoid dispatching operations to the detached driver.

Likely exposure

Exposure requires Linux using the gve network driver, an affected kernel build, and an ethtool operation racing with shutdown. Forced shutdowns on GCP VMs are specifically reported as capable of reaching this path. The bundled version data is ambiguous, so validate exact exposure using kernel or distribution guidance.

Exploitation context

The CVSS 3.1 score is 7.8 and describes local, low-complexity access with low privileges and no user interaction. However, the documented outcome is a kernel panic during shutdown. The bundle marks this CVE as absent from KEV and provides no evidence of active exploitation.

Researcher notes

This is a shutdown-time lifetime-management flaw involving an accessible netdev after gve teardown. The source describes freed or NULL pointer dereferences but does not establish practical confidentiality or integrity impact beyond the CVSS vector. Exact vulnerable release boundaries cannot be reliably reconstructed from the flattened version list; assess vendor backports by package and commit provenance.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a vendor-supported kernel containing the referenced gve shutdown fix.
  • Check Linux distribution and cloud-provider advisories for applicable fixed package versions.
  • Prioritize affected GCP workloads where forced shutdowns or automated lifecycle operations occur.
  • Limit unnecessary local access capable of invoking network-device management operations until updated.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm whether each system uses the gve network driver and corresponding virtual network device.
  • Compare the installed kernel package with current distribution or vendor guidance for CVE-2025-38735.
  • Verify the deployed kernel incorporates netif_device_detach() in the gve shutdown path or an equivalent backport.
  • Review shutdown and serial-console logs for gve-related kernel panics around forced restarts.
  • Test shutdown behavior only in an isolated, non-production environment after applying the update.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
9

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

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CVE-2025-38735 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.8 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
8Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Linux

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.8High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2025-38735Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

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
siemens-SADPADP container

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux974365e518617c9ce917f61aacbba07e4bedcca0, 974365e518617c9ce917f61aacbba07e4bedcca0, 974365e518617c9ce917f61aacbba07e4bedcca0, 974365e518617c9ce917f61aacbba07e4bedcca0, 974365e518617c9ce917f61aacbba07e4bedcca0unaffected
LinuxLinux5.17, 0, 6.1.149, 6.6.103, 6.12.44, 6.16.4, 6.17affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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