CVE-2025-38605 — wifi: ath12k: Pass ab pointer directly to ath12k_dp_tx_get_encap_type()
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: ath12k: Pass ab pointer directly to ath12k_dp_tx_get_encap_type() In ath12k_dp_tx_get_encap_type(), the arvif parameter is only used to retrieve the ab pointer. In vdev delete sequence the arvif->ar could become NULL and that would trigger kernel panic. Since the caller ath12k_dp_tx() already has a valid ab pointer, pass it directly to avoid panic and unnecessary dereferencing. PC points to "ath12k_dp_tx+0x228/0x988 [ath12k]" LR points to "ath12k_dp_tx+0xc8/0x988 [ath12k]". The Backtrace obtained is as follows: ath12k_dp_tx+0x228/0x988 [ath12k] ath12k_mac_tx_check_max_limit+0x608/0x920 [ath12k] ieee80211_process_measurement_req+0x320/0x348 [mac80211] ieee80211_tx_dequeue+0x9ac/0x1518 [mac80211] ieee80211_tx_dequeue+0xb14/0x1518 [mac80211] ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb+0x224/0x254 [mac80211] ieee80211_xmit+0xec/0x100 [mac80211] __ieee80211_subif_start_xmit+0xc50/0xf40 [mac80211] ieee80211_subif_start_xmit+0x2e8/0x308 [mac80211] netdev_start_xmit+0x150/0x18c dev_hard_start_xmit+0x74/0xc0 Tested-on: QCN9274 hw2.0 PCI WLAN.WBE.1.3.1-00173-QCAHKSWPL_SILICONZ-1
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+1
- Technical severity (medium)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | ≥ e93bbd65547ea8073b707c9034c3f051f8018614 and < be27a11a42b2190f817b198bf5e753e5e4ac849e≥ e93bbd65547ea8073b707c9034c3f051f8018614 and < d9d2a0466e981d1be95fc8bdc05806ea21def758≥ e93bbd65547ea8073b707c9034c3f051f8018614 and < b508f370f88f277c95e2bd3bc47217a96d668cee≥ e93bbd65547ea8073b707c9034c3f051f8018614 and < ee4f8e7fa578f9f28cef5f409677db25f4f83d7e≥ e93bbd65547ea8073b707c9034c3f051f8018614 and < 05062834350f0bf7ad1abcebc2807220e90220ebversion 6.4 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | ≥ 6.4 and < 6.15.10≥ 6.16 and < 6.16.1 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 1.8 | 3.6 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 20, 2026 → Oct 27, 2026 · 8 reading(s) · max 0.20%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · linux/linux kernel
- CVSS changed · 5.5
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2025
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 21, 2026 – Oct 21, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 21, 2026 – Oct 21, 2026
References
7 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ee4f8e7fa578f9f28cef5f409677db25f4f83d7e
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b508f370f88f277c95e2bd3bc47217a96d668cee
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/05062834350f0bf7ad1abcebc2807220e90220eb
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38605
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/be27a11a42b2190f817b198bf5e753e5e4ac849e
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-6q42-8x5p-5c72
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d9d2a0466e981d1be95fc8bdc05806ea21def758
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Unknown CVE-2026-99100 wifi: p54: validate firmware record lengths 2h
- Unknown CVE-2026-99092 riscv: patch: fix handling of bpf-jit execmem addresses 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99093 mm: don't schedule deferred kernel page table freeing while booting 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99095 drm/vc4: drain the hangcheck timer and works on V3D unbind 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99096 io_uring/register: don't exempt disabled rings from task restrictions 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-99097 tee: shm: reject zero-sized allocations in tee_dyn_shm_alloc_helper() 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2025-38605 is "wifi: ath12k: Pass ab pointer directly to ath12k_dp_tx_get_encap_type()", rated Medium. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.20% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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