CVE-2025-38210: configfs-tsm-report: Fix NULL dereference of tsm_ops

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2025-38210 is a medium (CVSS 5.5) NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability in linux. EPSS estimates a 0.18% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 7.1% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 04-07-2025
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 11-05-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: configfs-tsm-report: Fix NULL dereference of tsm_ops Unlike sysfs, the lifetime of configfs objects is controlled by userspace. There is no mechanism for the kernel to find and delete all created config-items. Instead, the configfs-tsm-report mechanism has an expectation that tsm_unregister() can happen at any time and cause established config-item access to start failing. That expectation is not fully satisfied. While tsm_report_read(), tsm_report_{is,is_bin}_visible(), and tsm_report_make_item() safely fail if tsm_ops have been unregistered, tsm_report_privlevel_store() tsm_report_provider_show() fail to check for ops registration. Add the missing checks for tsm_ops having been removed. Now, in supporting the ability for tsm_unregister() to always succeed, it leaves the problem of what to do with lingering config-items. The expectation is that the admin that arranges for the ->remove() (unbind) of the ${tsm_arch}-guest driver is also responsible for deletion of all open config-items. Until that deletion happens, ->probe() (reload / bind) of the ${tsm_arch}-guest driver fails. This allows for emergency shutdown / revocation of attestation interfaces, and requires coordinated restart.

• CWE-476NULL Pointer DereferenceThe product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL.