CVE-2025-38013: linux Improper Validation of Array Index

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2025-38013 is a high (CVSS 7.8) Improper Validation of Array Index vulnerability in linux. EPSS estimates a 0.20% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 8.9% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 18-06-2025
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 11-05-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: mac80211: Set n_channels after allocating struct cfg80211_scan_request Make sure that n_channels is set after allocating the struct cfg80211_registered_device::int_scan_req member. Seen with syzkaller: UBSAN: array-index-out-of-bounds in net/mac80211/scan.c:1208:5 index 0 is out of range for type 'struct ieee80211_channel *[] __counted_by(n_channels)' (aka 'struct ieee80211_channel *[]') This was missed in the initial conversions because I failed to locate the allocation likely due to the "sizeof(void *)" not matching the "channels" array type.

• CWE-129Improper Validation of Array IndexThe product uses untrusted input when calculating or using an array index, but the product does not validate or incorrectly validates the index to ensure the index references a valid position within the array.