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

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.

Classification

CVE ID: CVE-2025-38210

Affected Products

Vendor: Linux

Product: Linux

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

EPSS Score: 0.02% (probability of being exploited)

EPSS Percentile: 4.17% (scored less or equal to compared to others)

EPSS Date: 2025-07-10 (when was this score calculated)

References

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38210
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/015f04ac884a454d4d8aaa7b67758f047742b1cf
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cefbafcbdef011d6ef9414902311afdfba3c33eb
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fba4ceaa242d2bdf4c04b77bda41d32d02d3925d

Timeline