CVE-2025-38632 (GCVE-0-2025-38632)
Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2025-08-22 16:00 – Updated: 2026-05-23 16:00
VLAI
EPSS
VEX
Title
pinmux: fix race causing mux_owner NULL with active mux_usecount
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
pinmux: fix race causing mux_owner NULL with active mux_usecount
commit 5a3e85c3c397 ("pinmux: Use sequential access to access
desc->pinmux data") tried to address the issue when two client of the
same gpio calls pinctrl_select_state() for the same functionality, was
resulting in NULL pointer issue while accessing desc->mux_owner.
However, issue was not completely fixed due to the way it was handled
and it can still result in the same NULL pointer.
The issue occurs due to the following interleaving:
cpu0 (process A) cpu1 (process B)
pin_request() { pin_free() {
mutex_lock()
desc->mux_usecount--; //becomes 0
..
mutex_unlock()
mutex_lock(desc->mux)
desc->mux_usecount++; // becomes 1
desc->mux_owner = owner;
mutex_unlock(desc->mux)
mutex_lock(desc->mux)
desc->mux_owner = NULL;
mutex_unlock(desc->mux)
This sequence leads to a state where the pin appears to be in use
(`mux_usecount == 1`) but has no owner (`mux_owner == NULL`), which can
cause NULL pointer on next pin_request on the same pin.
Ensure that updates to mux_usecount and mux_owner are performed
atomically under the same lock. Only clear mux_owner when mux_usecount
reaches zero and no new owner has been assigned.
Severity
4.7 (Medium)
Assigner
References
Impacted products
2 products
| Vendor | Product | Version | CPE status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux |
Affected:
2da32aed4a97ca1d70fb8b77926f72f30ce5fb4b , < 9b2a3e7189028aa7c4d53a84364f2ea9fb209787
(git)
Affected: c11e2ec9a780f54982a187ee10ffd1b810715c85 , < 9ea3f6b9a67be3476e331ce51cac316c2614a564 (git) Affected: 5a3e85c3c397c781393ea5fb2f45b1f60f8a4e6e , < b7bd6e3971eb7f0e34d2fdce1b18b08094e0c804 (git) Affected: 5a3e85c3c397c781393ea5fb2f45b1f60f8a4e6e , < 22b585cbd67d14df3b91529d1b990661c300faa9 (git) Affected: 5a3e85c3c397c781393ea5fb2f45b1f60f8a4e6e , < 0b075c011032f88d1cfde3b45d6dcf08b44140eb (git) Affected: 6.6.66 , < 6.6.102 (semver) Affected: 6.12.5 , < 6.12.42 (semver) |
guessed | |
| Linux | Linux |
Affected:
6.13
Unaffected: 0 , < 6.13 (semver) Unaffected: 6.6.102 , ≤ 6.6.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.12.42 , ≤ 6.12.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.15.10 , ≤ 6.15.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.16.1 , ≤ 6.16.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.17 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix) |
guessed |
{
"containers": {
"cna": {
"affected": [
{
"defaultStatus": "unaffected",
"product": "Linux",
"programFiles": [
"drivers/pinctrl/pinmux.c"
],
"repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
"vendor": "Linux",
"versions": [
{
"lessThan": "9b2a3e7189028aa7c4d53a84364f2ea9fb209787",
"status": "affected",
"version": "2da32aed4a97ca1d70fb8b77926f72f30ce5fb4b",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"lessThan": "9ea3f6b9a67be3476e331ce51cac316c2614a564",
"status": "affected",
"version": "c11e2ec9a780f54982a187ee10ffd1b810715c85",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"lessThan": "b7bd6e3971eb7f0e34d2fdce1b18b08094e0c804",
"status": "affected",
"version": "5a3e85c3c397c781393ea5fb2f45b1f60f8a4e6e",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"lessThan": "22b585cbd67d14df3b91529d1b990661c300faa9",
"status": "affected",
"version": "5a3e85c3c397c781393ea5fb2f45b1f60f8a4e6e",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"lessThan": "0b075c011032f88d1cfde3b45d6dcf08b44140eb",
"status": "affected",
"version": "5a3e85c3c397c781393ea5fb2f45b1f60f8a4e6e",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"lessThan": "6.6.102",
"status": "affected",
"version": "6.6.66",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"lessThan": "6.12.42",
"status": "affected",
"version": "6.12.5",
"versionType": "semver"
}
]
},
{
"defaultStatus": "affected",
"product": "Linux",
"programFiles": [
"drivers/pinctrl/pinmux.c"
],
"repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
"vendor": "Linux",
"versions": [
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "6.13"
},
{
"lessThan": "6.13",
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "0",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.6.*",
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.6.102",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.12.*",
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.12.42",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.15.*",
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.15.10",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.16.*",
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.16.1",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"lessThanOrEqual": "*",
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.17",
"versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"
}
]
}
],
"cpeApplicability": [
{
"nodes": [
{
"cpeMatch": [
{
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionEndExcluding": "6.6.102",
"versionStartIncluding": "6.6.66",
"vulnerable": true
},
{
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionEndExcluding": "6.12.42",
"versionStartIncluding": "6.12.5",
"vulnerable": true
},
{
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionEndExcluding": "6.15.10",
"versionStartIncluding": "6.13",
"vulnerable": true
},
{
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionEndExcluding": "6.16.1",
"versionStartIncluding": "6.13",
"vulnerable": true
},
{
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"versionEndExcluding": "6.17",
"versionStartIncluding": "6.13",
"vulnerable": true
}
],
"negate": false,
"operator": "OR"
}
]
}
],
"descriptions": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\npinmux: fix race causing mux_owner NULL with active mux_usecount\n\ncommit 5a3e85c3c397 (\"pinmux: Use sequential access to access\ndesc-\u003epinmux data\") tried to address the issue when two client of the\nsame gpio calls pinctrl_select_state() for the same functionality, was\nresulting in NULL pointer issue while accessing desc-\u003emux_owner.\nHowever, issue was not completely fixed due to the way it was handled\nand it can still result in the same NULL pointer.\n\nThe issue occurs due to the following interleaving:\n\n cpu0 (process A) cpu1 (process B)\n\n pin_request() { pin_free() {\n\n mutex_lock()\n desc-\u003emux_usecount--; //becomes 0\n ..\n mutex_unlock()\n\n mutex_lock(desc-\u003emux)\n desc-\u003emux_usecount++; // becomes 1\n desc-\u003emux_owner = owner;\n mutex_unlock(desc-\u003emux)\n\n mutex_lock(desc-\u003emux)\n desc-\u003emux_owner = NULL;\n mutex_unlock(desc-\u003emux)\n\nThis sequence leads to a state where the pin appears to be in use\n(`mux_usecount == 1`) but has no owner (`mux_owner == NULL`), which can\ncause NULL pointer on next pin_request on the same pin.\n\nEnsure that updates to mux_usecount and mux_owner are performed\natomically under the same lock. Only clear mux_owner when mux_usecount\nreaches zero and no new owner has been assigned."
}
],
"providerMetadata": {
"dateUpdated": "2026-05-23T16:00:13.275Z",
"orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
"shortName": "Linux"
},
"references": [
{
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9b2a3e7189028aa7c4d53a84364f2ea9fb209787"
},
{
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9ea3f6b9a67be3476e331ce51cac316c2614a564"
},
{
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b7bd6e3971eb7f0e34d2fdce1b18b08094e0c804"
},
{
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/22b585cbd67d14df3b91529d1b990661c300faa9"
},
{
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0b075c011032f88d1cfde3b45d6dcf08b44140eb"
}
],
"title": "pinmux: fix race causing mux_owner NULL with active mux_usecount",
"x_generator": {
"engine": "bippy-1.2.0"
}
}
},
"cveMetadata": {
"assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67",
"assignerShortName": "Linux",
"cveId": "CVE-2025-38632",
"datePublished": "2025-08-22T16:00:40.423Z",
"dateReserved": "2025-04-16T04:51:24.029Z",
"dateUpdated": "2026-05-23T16:00:13.275Z",
"state": "PUBLISHED"
},
"dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
"dataVersion": "5.2",
"vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
"epss": {
"cve": "CVE-2025-38632",
"date": "2026-09-17",
"epss": "0.00114",
"percentile": "0.01661"
},
"nvd": "{\"cve\":{\"id\":\"CVE-2025-38632\",\"sourceIdentifier\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"published\":\"2025-08-22T16:15:37.033\",\"lastModified\":\"2026-06-17T09:17:15.300\",\"vulnStatus\":\"Analyzed\",\"cveTags\":[],\"descriptions\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\\n\\npinmux: fix race causing mux_owner NULL with active mux_usecount\\n\\ncommit 5a3e85c3c397 (\\\"pinmux: Use sequential access to access\\ndesc-\u003epinmux data\\\") tried to address the issue when two client of the\\nsame gpio calls pinctrl_select_state() for the same functionality, was\\nresulting in NULL pointer issue while accessing desc-\u003emux_owner.\\nHowever, issue was not completely fixed due to the way it was handled\\nand it can still result in the same NULL pointer.\\n\\nThe issue occurs due to the following interleaving:\\n\\n cpu0 (process A) cpu1 (process B)\\n\\n pin_request() { pin_free() {\\n\\n mutex_lock()\\n desc-\u003emux_usecount--; //becomes 0\\n ..\\n mutex_unlock()\\n\\n mutex_lock(desc-\u003emux)\\n desc-\u003emux_usecount++; // becomes 1\\n desc-\u003emux_owner = owner;\\n mutex_unlock(desc-\u003emux)\\n\\n mutex_lock(desc-\u003emux)\\n desc-\u003emux_owner = NULL;\\n mutex_unlock(desc-\u003emux)\\n\\nThis sequence leads to a state where the pin appears to be in use\\n(`mux_usecount == 1`) but has no owner (`mux_owner == NULL`), which can\\ncause NULL pointer on next pin_request on the same pin.\\n\\nEnsure that updates to mux_usecount and mux_owner are performed\\natomically under the same lock. Only clear mux_owner when mux_usecount\\nreaches zero and no new owner has been assigned.\"},{\"lang\":\"es\",\"value\":\"En el kernel de Linux, se ha resuelto la siguiente vulnerabilidad: pinmux: correcci\u00f3n de la carrera que causaba que mux_owner fuera nulo con el commit 5a3e85c3c397 de mux_usecount activa (\\\"pinmux: Usar acceso secuencial para acceder a los datos de desc-\u0026gt;pinmux\\\"). Se intent\u00f3 solucionar el problema cuando dos clientes del mismo GPIO llamaban a pinctrl_select_state() para la misma funcionalidad, lo que provocaba un problema de puntero nulo al acceder a desc-\u0026gt;mux_owner. Sin embargo, el problema no se solucion\u00f3 por completo debido a la forma en que se gestion\u00f3 y a\u00fan puede resultar en el mismo puntero nulo. El problema se produce debido a la siguiente intercalaci\u00f3n: cpu0 (proceso A) cpu1 (proceso B) pin_request() { pin_free() { mutex_lock() desc-\u0026gt;mux_usecount--; //se convierte en 0 .. mutex_unlock() mutex_lock(desc-\u0026gt;mux) desc-\u0026gt;mux_usecount++; // se convierte en 1 desc-\u0026gt;mux_owner = owner; mutex_unlock(desc-\u0026gt;mux) mutex_lock(desc-\u0026gt;mux) desc-\u0026gt;mux_owner = NULL; mutex_unlock(desc-\u0026gt;mux) Esta secuencia lleva a un estado donde el pin parece estar en uso (`mux_usecount == 1`) pero no tiene propietario (`mux_owner == NULL`), lo que puede generar un puntero nulo en la siguiente solicitud de pin en el mismo pin. Aseg\u00farese de que las actualizaciones de mux_usecount y mux_owner se realicen autom\u00e1ticamente bajo el mismo bloqueo. Solo borre mux_owner cuando mux_usecount llegue a cero y no se haya asignado un nuevo propietario.\"}],\"affected\":[{\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"affectedData\":[{\"vendor\":\"Linux\",\"product\":\"Linux\",\"defaultStatus\":\"unaffected\",\"programFiles\":[\"drivers/pinctrl/pinmux.c\"],\"repo\":\"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"2da32aed4a97ca1d70fb8b77926f72f30ce5fb4b\",\"lessThan\":\"9b2a3e7189028aa7c4d53a84364f2ea9fb209787\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"c11e2ec9a780f54982a187ee10ffd1b810715c85\",\"lessThan\":\"9ea3f6b9a67be3476e331ce51cac316c2614a564\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"5a3e85c3c397c781393ea5fb2f45b1f60f8a4e6e\",\"lessThan\":\"b7bd6e3971eb7f0e34d2fdce1b18b08094e0c804\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"5a3e85c3c397c781393ea5fb2f45b1f60f8a4e6e\",\"lessThan\":\"22b585cbd67d14df3b91529d1b990661c300faa9\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"5a3e85c3c397c781393ea5fb2f45b1f60f8a4e6e\",\"lessThan\":\"0b075c011032f88d1cfde3b45d6dcf08b44140eb\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"6.6.66\",\"lessThan\":\"6.6.102\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"6.12.5\",\"lessThan\":\"6.12.42\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"affected\"}]},{\"vendor\":\"Linux\",\"product\":\"Linux\",\"defaultStatus\":\"affected\",\"programFiles\":[\"drivers/pinctrl/pinmux.c\"],\"repo\":\"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"6.13\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"0\",\"lessThan\":\"6.13\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.6.102\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.6.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.12.42\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.12.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.15.10\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.15.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.16.1\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.16.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.17\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"*\",\"versionType\":\"original_commit_for_fix\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"}]}]}],\"metrics\":{\"cvssMetricV31\":[{\"source\":\"nvd@nist.gov\",\"type\":\"Primary\",\"cvssData\":{\"version\":\"3.1\",\"vectorString\":\"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H\",\"baseScore\":4.7,\"baseSeverity\":\"MEDIUM\",\"attackVector\":\"LOCAL\",\"attackComplexity\":\"HIGH\",\"privilegesRequired\":\"LOW\",\"userInteraction\":\"NONE\",\"scope\":\"UNCHANGED\",\"confidentialityImpact\":\"NONE\",\"integrityImpact\":\"NONE\",\"availabilityImpact\":\"HIGH\"},\"exploitabilityScore\":1.0,\"impactScore\":3.6}]},\"weaknesses\":[{\"source\":\"nvd@nist.gov\",\"type\":\"Primary\",\"description\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"CWE-362\"},{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"CWE-476\"}]}],\"configurations\":[{\"nodes\":[{\"operator\":\"OR\",\"negate\":false,\"cpeMatch\":[{\"vulnerable\":true,\"criteria\":\"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*\",\"versionStartIncluding\":\"6.6.66\",\"versionEndExcluding\":\"6.6.102\",\"matchCriteriaId\":\"6EAE34E7-89EB-40E1-814B-1BB1C091AEB7\"},{\"vulnerable\":true,\"criteria\":\"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*\",\"versionStartIncluding\":\"6.12.5\",\"versionEndExcluding\":\"6.12.42\",\"matchCriteriaId\":\"7DB522F7-D2D4-487E-9B58-506480D775C4\"},{\"vulnerable\":true,\"criteria\":\"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*\",\"versionStartIncluding\":\"6.13\",\"versionEndExcluding\":\"6.15.10\",\"matchCriteriaId\":\"5890C690-B295-40C2-9121-FF5F987E5142\"},{\"vulnerable\":true,\"criteria\":\"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*\",\"versionStartIncluding\":\"6.16\",\"versionEndExcluding\":\"6.16.1\",\"matchCriteriaId\":\"58182352-D7DF-4CC9-841E-03C1D852C3FB\"}]}]}],\"references\":[{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0b075c011032f88d1cfde3b45d6dcf08b44140eb\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"tags\":[\"Patch\"]},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/22b585cbd67d14df3b91529d1b990661c300faa9\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"tags\":[\"Patch\"]},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9b2a3e7189028aa7c4d53a84364f2ea9fb209787\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"tags\":[\"Patch\"]},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9ea3f6b9a67be3476e331ce51cac316c2614a564\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"tags\":[\"Patch\"]},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b7bd6e3971eb7f0e34d2fdce1b18b08094e0c804\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"tags\":[\"Patch\"]}]}}",
"redhat_vex": {
"aggregate_severity": "Moderate",
"current_release_date": "2026-06-30T01:13:49+00:00",
"cve": "CVE-2025-38632",
"id": "CVE-2025-38632",
"initial_release_date": "2025-08-22T00:00:00+00:00",
"product_status:known_affected": "108",
"product_status:known_not_affected": "166",
"source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
"status": "final",
"title": "kernel: pinmux: fix race causing mux_owner NULL with active mux_usecount",
"url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2025/cve-2025-38632.json",
"version": "3"
}
}
}
Loading…
Loading…
Experimental. This forecast is provided for visualization only and may change without notice. Do not use it for operational decisions.
Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date | Other |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Loading…
The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the
vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base
model, served locally by ML-Gateway.
They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.
Loading…
Related by attack behaviour
Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.
Loading…