CVE-2025-38055

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

perf/x86/intel: Fix segfault with PEBS-via-PT with sample_freq

Currently, using PEBS-via-PT with a sample frequency instead of a sample period, causes a segfault. For example:

BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000195
&lt;NMI&gt;
? __die_body.cold+0x19/0x27
? page_fault_oops+0xca/0x290
? exc_page_fault+0x7e/0x1b0
? asm_exc_page_fault+0x26/0x30
? intel_pmu_pebs_event_update_no_drain+0x40/0x60
? intel_pmu_pebs_event_update_no_drain+0x32/0x60
intel_pmu_drain_pebs_icl+0x333/0x350
handle_pmi_common+0x272/0x3c0
intel_pmu_handle_irq+0x10a/0x2e0
perf_event_nmi_handler+0x2a/0x50

That happens because intel_pmu_pebs_event_update_no_drain() assumes all the pebs_enabled bits represent counter indexes, which is not always the case. In this particular case, bits 60 and 61 are set for PEBS-via-PT purposes.

The behaviour of PEBS-via-PT with sample frequency is questionable because although a PMI is generated (PEBS_PMI_AFTER_EACH_RECORD), the period is not adjusted anyway.

Putting that aside, fix intel_pmu_pebs_event_update_no_drain() by passing the mask of counter bits instead of 'size'. Note, prior to the Fixes commit, 'size' would be limited to the maximum counter index, so the issue was not hit.

Published: Jun 18, 2025
Updated: Nov 15, 2025
CVE: CVE-2025-38055
Severity: Medium
Exploit:

CVSS v3:

Severity: Medium
Score: 5.5
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CWEs:

CWE-476

Affected Software
References

Software	From	Fixed in
linux / linux_kernel	6.10.5	6.12.31
linux / linux_kernel	6.13	6.14.9
linux / linux_kernel	6.15-rc1	6.15-rc1.x
linux / linux_kernel	6.15-rc2	6.15-rc2.x
linux / linux_kernel	6.15-rc3	6.15-rc3.x
linux / linux_kernel	6.15-rc4	6.15-rc4.x
linux / linux_kernel	6.15-rc5	6.15-rc5.x
linux / linux_kernel	6.15-rc6	6.15-rc6.x

Vulnerability Database

309,359

CVE-2025-38055

Deep Security Visibility Without the Complexity