CVE-2025-38271

/// Technical description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

net: prevent a NULL deref in rtnl_create_link()

At the time rtnl_create_link() is running, dev->netdev_ops is NULL,

we must not use netdev_lock_ops() or risk a NULL deref if

CONFIG_NET_SHAPER is defined.

Use netif_set_group() instead of dev_set_group().

RIP: 0010:netdev_need_ops_lock include/net/netdev_lock.h:33 [inline]

RIP: 0010:netdev_lock_ops include/net/netdev_lock.h:41 [inline]

RIP: 0010:dev_set_group+0xc0/0x230 net/core/dev_api.c:82

Call Trace:

<TASK>

rtnl_create_link+0x748/0xd10 net/core/rtnetlink.c:3674

rtnl_newlink_create+0x25c/0xb00 net/core/rtnetlink.c:3813

__rtnl_newlink net/core/rtnetlink.c:3940 [inline]

rtnl_newlink+0x16d6/0x1c70 net/core/rtnetlink.c:4055

rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x7cf/0xb70 net/core/rtnetlink.c:6944

netlink_rcv_skb+0x208/0x470 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2534

netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1313 [inline]

netlink_unicast+0x75b/0x8d0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:

/// Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

/// References