// For flags

CVE-2025-38149

net: phy: clear phydev->devlink when the link is deleted

Severity Score

5.5
*CVSS v3

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

0
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

-
*SSVC
Descriptions

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: phy: clear phydev->devlink when the link is deleted There is a potential crash issue when disabling and re-enabling the
network port. When disabling the network port, phy_detach() calls
device_link_del() to remove the device link, but it does not clear
phydev->devlink, so phydev->devlink is not a NULL pointer. Then the
network port is re-enabled, but if phy_attach_direct() fails before
calling device_link_add(), the code jumps to the "error" label and
calls phy_detach(). Since phydev->devlink retains the old value from
the previous attach/detach cycle, device_link_del() uses the old value,
which accesses a NULL pointer and causes a crash. The simplified crash
log is as follows. [ 24.702421] Call trace:
[ 24.704856] device_link_put_kref+0x20/0x120
[ 24.709124] device_link_del+0x30/0x48
[ 24.712864] phy_detach+0x24/0x168
[ 24.716261] phy_attach_direct+0x168/0x3a4
[ 24.720352] phylink_fwnode_phy_connect+0xc8/0x14c
[ 24.725140] phylink_of_phy_connect+0x1c/0x34 Therefore, phydev->devlink needs to be cleared when the device link is
deleted.

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: phy: clear phydev->devlink when the link is deleted There is a potential crash issue when disabling and re-enabling the network port. When disabling the network port, phy_detach() calls device_link_del() to remove the device link, but it does not clear phydev->devlink, so phydev->devlink is not a NULL pointer. Then the network port is re-enabled, but if phy_attach_direct() fails before calling device_link_add(), the code jumps to the "error" label and calls phy_detach(). Since phydev->devlink retains the old value from the previous attach/detach cycle, device_link_del() uses the old value, which accesses a NULL pointer and causes a crash. The simplified crash log is as follows. [ 24.702421] Call trace: [ 24.704856] device_link_put_kref+0x20/0x120 [ 24.709124] device_link_del+0x30/0x48 [ 24.712864] phy_detach+0x24/0x168 [ 24.716261] phy_attach_direct+0x168/0x3a4 [ 24.720352] phylink_fwnode_phy_connect+0xc8/0x14c [ 24.725140] phylink_of_phy_connect+0x1c/0x34 Therefore, phydev->devlink needs to be cleared when the device link is deleted.

*Credits: N/A
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
Partial
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:-
Exploitation
-
Automatable
-
Tech. Impact
-
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2025-04-16 CVE Reserved
  • 2025-07-03 CVE Published
  • 2025-07-03 CVE Updated
  • 2025-07-09 EPSS Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
  • ---------- First Exploit
CWE
CAPEC
Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions
Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vendor Product Version Other Status <-- --> Vendor Product Version Other Status
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 6.2 < 6.6.94
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 6.2 < 6.6.94"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 6.2 < 6.12.34
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 6.2 < 6.12.34"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 6.2 < 6.15.3
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 6.2 < 6.15.3"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 6.2 < 6.16-rc1
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 6.2 < 6.16-rc1"
en
Affected