🛡️ CVE-2025-38685 — debian-linux
Description
fbdev: Fix vmalloc out-of-bounds write in fast_imageblit
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
fbdev: Fix vmalloc out-of-bounds write in fast_imageblit
This issue triggers when a userspace program does an ioctl
FBIOPUT_CON2FBMAP by passing console number and frame buffer number.
Ideally this maps console to frame buffer and updates the screen if
console is visible.
As part of mapping it has to do resize of console according to frame
buffer info. if this resize fails and returns from vc_do_resize() and
continues further. At this point console and new frame buffer are mapped
and sets display vars. Despite failure still it continue to proceed
updating the screen at later stages where vc_data is related to previous
frame buffer and frame buffer info and display vars are mapped to new
frame buffer and eventully leading to out-of-bounds write in
fast_imageblit(). This bheviour is excepted only when fg_console is
equal to requested console which is a visible console and updates screen
with invalid struct references in fbcon_putcs().
How this vulnerability can be exploited
This issue can be reached with local access to the system, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs low-level privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality high, integrity high, availability high.
Weakness class
CVE-2025-38685 is classified as CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write. Data is written past the end or before the start of a buffer, corrupting whatever is stored there.
Affected software
CVE-2025-38685 is recorded against 3 packages.
- debian-linux
- kernel (from 6.16.0 up to 6.16.2)
- linux-kernel
Timeline and source
Published on 4 September 2025 and last revised on 30 July 2026. No public exploit is currently recorded for this entry. A vendor advisory or fix has been published. Record sourced from NVD.
References
git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
lists.debian.org
cert-portal.siemens.com
cert-portal.siemens.com
CVE-2025-38685 on other distributions
Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:
Details
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Affected Packages
| Software | From version | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| debian-linux | — | — |
| kernel | 6.16.0 | 6.16.2 |
| linux-kernel | — | — |
References
Similar Threats
- Critical CVE-2022-0194
- High CVE-2022-0367
- Medium CVE-2022-0171
- High CVE-2022-0135
- High CVE-2022-0204
Site Security Check
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