Vulnerability-Lookup

CVE-2025-38703 (GCVE-0-2025-38703)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2025-09-04 15:32 – Updated: 2026-08-05 12:04

Title

drm/xe: Make dma-fences compliant with the safe access rules

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/xe: Make dma-fences compliant with the safe access rules Xe can free some of the data pointed to by the dma-fences it exports. Most notably the timeline name can get freed if userspace closes the associated submit queue. At the same time the fence could have been exported to a third party (for example a sync_fence fd) which will then cause an use- after-free on subsequent access. To make this safe we need to make the driver compliant with the newly documented dma-fence rules. Driver has to ensure a RCU grace period between signalling a fence and freeing any data pointed to by said fence. For the timeline name we simply make the queue be freed via kfree_rcu and for the shared lock associated with multiple queues we add a RCU grace period before freeing the per GT structure holding the lock.

Severity

7.8 (High)


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

Assigner

Linux mitre root

References

4 references

URL	Tags
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b17fcce70733c211c…
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ba37807d08bae67de…
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/683b0e397dad9f26a…
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6bd90e700b4285e6a…

Impacted products

2 products

Vendor	Product	Version	CPE status
Linux	Linux	Affected: dd08ebf6c3525a7ea2186e636df064ea47281987 , < b17fcce70733c211cb5dabf54f4f9491920b1d92 (git) Affected: dd08ebf6c3525a7ea2186e636df064ea47281987 , < ba37807d08bae67de6139346a85650cab5f6145a (git) Affected: dd08ebf6c3525a7ea2186e636df064ea47281987 , < 683b0e397dad9f26a42dcacf6f7f545a77ce6c06 (git) Affected: dd08ebf6c3525a7ea2186e636df064ea47281987 , < 6bd90e700b4285e6a7541e00f969cab0d696adde (git)	guessed
Linux	Linux	Affected: 6.8 Unaffected: 0 , < 6.8 (semver) Unaffected: 6.12.43 , ≤ 6.12.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.15.11 , ≤ 6.15.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.16.2 , ≤ 6.16.* (semver) Unaffected: 6.17 , ≤ * (original_commit_for_fix)	guessed

Show details on NVD website

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{
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          "product": "Linux",
          "programFiles": [
            "drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_guc_exec_queue_types.h",
            "drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_guc_submit.c",
            "drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_hw_fence.c"
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              "versionType": "semver"
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              "versionType": "semver"
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          "lang": "en",
          "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\ndrm/xe: Make dma-fences compliant with the safe access rules\n\nXe can free some of the data pointed to by the dma-fences it exports. Most\nnotably the timeline name can get freed if userspace closes the associated\nsubmit queue. At the same time the fence could have been exported to a\nthird party (for example a sync_fence fd) which will then cause an use-\nafter-free on subsequent access.\n\nTo make this safe we need to make the driver compliant with the newly\ndocumented dma-fence rules. Driver has to ensure a RCU grace period\nbetween signalling a fence and freeing any data pointed to by said fence.\n\nFor the timeline name we simply make the queue be freed via kfree_rcu and\nfor the shared lock associated with multiple queues we add a RCU grace\nperiod before freeing the per GT structure holding the lock."
        }
      ],
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            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
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          },
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            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "AV:L - The attack requires ioctls on the local DRM render node (`/dev/dri/renderD128`) plus a sync_file fd; there is no remote or adjacent-network path to the xe exec-queue lifecycle.\nAC:L - No race is involved \u2014 once `kfree(ge)` runs the dangling `fence-\u003esched` pointer is permanently stale, so the attacker controls every step (create queue, export sync_file, destroy queue, spray the slab at leisure, then read) and can retry indefinitely.\nPR:L - All required ioctls (XE_EXEC_QUEUE_CREATE/DESTROY, XE_EXEC, SYNCOBJ_EXPORT_SYNC_FILE, SYNC_IOC_FILE_INFO) are `DRM_RENDER_ALLOW` with no `DRM_AUTH` or capability check, so any local user with render-node access \u2014 the default for logged-in desktop users, Android/ChromeOS apps, and GPU-passthrough containers \u2014 can exploit it.\nUI:N - The attacker performs the entire sequence within its own process using its own exec queue and its own exported fence; no victim action is needed.\nS:U - The use-after-free occurs in kernel slab memory and the impact stays within the kernel\u0027s security authority \u2014 no VM, IOMMU, or hypervisor boundary is crossed.\nC:H - `sync_fill_fence_info()` `strscpy()`s from the UAF-derived `name` pointer into `info-\u003eobj_name` and copies it to userspace, so after heap-spraying the freed `xe_guc_exec_queue` slot the attacker controls that pointer and obtains a repeatable arbitrary kernel-memory read primitive.\nI:H - This is a use-after-free of a slab object whose contents the attacker can groom, and the companion `fence-\u003elock` defect makes `spin_lock()` write into the freed `struct xe_gt`, giving corruption of reallocated kernel objects that is leverageable for control-flow hijack.\nA:H - Dereferencing the stale `fence-\u003esched` and the resulting wild `name` pointer readily oopses the kernel, and locking a freed `fence-\u003elock` corrupts or deadlocks unrelated allocations, each producing a full system crash."
            }
          ]
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        "shortName": "Linux"
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        },
        {
          "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6bd90e700b4285e6a7541e00f969cab0d696adde"
        }
      ],
      "title": "drm/xe: Make dma-fences compliant with the safe access rules",
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    "cveId": "CVE-2025-38703",
    "datePublished": "2025-09-04T15:32:54.779Z",
    "dateReserved": "2025-04-16T04:51:24.032Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-08-05T12:04:07.308Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "epss": {
      "cve": "CVE-2025-38703",
      "date": "2026-09-17",
      "epss": "0.00165",
      "percentile": "0.06174"
    },
    "microsoft_vex": {
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      "cve": "CVE-2025-38703",
      "id": "msrc_CVE-2025-38703",
      "initial_release_date": "2025-09-02T00:00:00.000Z",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "1",
      "source": "Microsoft CSAF VEX",
      "status": "final",
      "title": "drm/xe: Make dma-fences compliant with the safe access rules",
      "url": "https://msrc.microsoft.com/csaf/vex/2025/msrc_cve-2025-38703.json",
      "version": "2"
    },
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Driver has to ensure a RCU grace period\\nbetween signalling a fence and freeing any data pointed to by said fence.\\n\\nFor the timeline name we simply make the queue be freed via kfree_rcu and\\nfor the shared lock associated with multiple queues we add a RCU grace\\nperiod before freeing the per GT structure holding the lock.\"}],\"affected\":[{\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"affectedData\":[{\"vendor\":\"Linux\",\"product\":\"Linux\",\"defaultStatus\":\"unaffected\",\"programFiles\":[\"drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_guc_exec_queue_types.h\",\"drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_guc_submit.c\",\"drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_hw_fence.c\"],\"repo\":\"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"dd08ebf6c3525a7ea2186e636df064ea47281987\",\"lessThan\":\"b17fcce70733c211cb5dabf54f4f9491920b1d92\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"dd08ebf6c3525a7ea2186e636df064ea47281987\",\"lessThan\":\"ba37807d08bae67de6139346a85650cab5f6145a\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"dd08ebf6c3525a7ea2186e636df064ea47281987\",\"lessThan\":\"683b0e397dad9f26a42dcacf6f7f545a77ce6c06\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"dd08ebf6c3525a7ea2186e636df064ea47281987\",\"lessThan\":\"6bd90e700b4285e6a7541e00f969cab0d696adde\",\"versionType\":\"git\",\"status\":\"affected\"}]},{\"vendor\":\"Linux\",\"product\":\"Linux\",\"defaultStatus\":\"affected\",\"programFiles\":[\"drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_guc_exec_queue_types.h\",\"drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_guc_submit.c\",\"drivers/gpu/drm/xe/xe_hw_fence.c\"],\"repo\":\"https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git\",\"versions\":[{\"version\":\"6.8\",\"status\":\"affected\"},{\"version\":\"0\",\"lessThan\":\"6.8\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.12.43\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.12.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.15.11\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.15.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.16.2\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"6.16.*\",\"versionType\":\"semver\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"},{\"version\":\"6.17\",\"lessThanOrEqual\":\"*\",\"versionType\":\"original_commit_for_fix\",\"status\":\"unaffected\"}]}]}],\"metrics\":{\"cvssMetricV31\":[{\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"type\":\"Secondary\",\"cvssData\":{\"version\":\"3.1\",\"vectorString\":\"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H\",\"baseScore\":7.8,\"baseSeverity\":\"HIGH\",\"attackVector\":\"LOCAL\",\"attackComplexity\":\"LOW\",\"privilegesRequired\":\"LOW\",\"userInteraction\":\"NONE\",\"scope\":\"UNCHANGED\",\"confidentialityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"integrityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"availabilityImpact\":\"HIGH\"},\"exploitabilityScore\":1.8,\"impactScore\":5.9},{\"source\":\"nvd@nist.gov\",\"type\":\"Primary\",\"cvssData\":{\"version\":\"3.1\",\"vectorString\":\"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H\",\"baseScore\":7.8,\"baseSeverity\":\"HIGH\",\"attackVector\":\"LOCAL\",\"attackComplexity\":\"LOW\",\"privilegesRequired\":\"LOW\",\"userInteraction\":\"NONE\",\"scope\":\"UNCHANGED\",\"confidentialityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"integrityImpact\":\"HIGH\",\"availabilityImpact\":\"HIGH\"},\"exploitabilityScore\":1.8,\"impactScore\":5.9}]},\"weaknesses\":[{\"source\":\"nvd@nist.gov\",\"type\":\"Primary\",\"description\":[{\"lang\":\"en\",\"value\":\"CWE-416\"}]}],\"configurations\":[{\"nodes\":[{\"operator\":\"OR\",\"negate\":false,\"cpeMatch\":[{\"vulnerable\":true,\"criteria\":\"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*\",\"versionStartIncluding\":\"6.8\",\"versionEndExcluding\":\"6.12.43\",\"matchCriteriaId\":\"169986BC-5A8A-4545-BC8B-EDA66328C234\"},{\"vulnerable\":true,\"criteria\":\"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*\",\"versionStartIncluding\":\"6.13\",\"versionEndExcluding\":\"6.15.11\",\"matchCriteriaId\":\"BC242347-F722-43AE-B910-BE0B22386977\"},{\"vulnerable\":true,\"criteria\":\"cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*\",\"versionStartIncluding\":\"6.16\",\"versionEndExcluding\":\"6.16.2\",\"matchCriteriaId\":\"BD7C087D-2415-4521-B624-30003352F899\"}]}]}],\"references\":[{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/683b0e397dad9f26a42dcacf6f7f545a77ce6c06\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"tags\":[\"Patch\"]},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6bd90e700b4285e6a7541e00f969cab0d696adde\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"tags\":[\"Patch\"]},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b17fcce70733c211cb5dabf54f4f9491920b1d92\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"tags\":[\"Patch\"]},{\"url\":\"https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ba37807d08bae67de6139346a85650cab5f6145a\",\"source\":\"416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67\",\"tags\":[\"Patch\"]}]}}",
    "redhat_vex": {
      "aggregate_severity": "Moderate",
      "current_release_date": "2026-07-30T09:02:37+00:00",
      "cve": "CVE-2025-38703",
      "id": "CVE-2025-38703",
      "initial_release_date": "2025-09-04T00:00:00+00:00",
      "product_status:fixed": "1224",
      "product_status:known_affected": "22",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "90",
      "source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
      "status": "final",
      "title": "kernel: drm/xe: Make dma-fences compliant with the safe access rules",
      "url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2025/cve-2025-38703.json",
      "version": "3"
    }
  }
}

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.

Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.

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.

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CVE-2025-38703 (GCVE-0-2025-38703)

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