CVE-2025-38537: Linux kernel · net: phy: Don't register LEDs for genphy
Source GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 High · fixed in fd6493533af9e5d73d0d42ff2a8ded978a701dc6 : patch Linux kernel soon.
Data as of 13 Nov 2026, 18:29 UTC
Thin evidence
One scorer or none- Patch
- Available – fixed in fd6493533af9e5d73d0d42ff2a8ded978a701dc6, f0f2b992d8185a0366be951685e08643aae17d6d, ec158d05eaa91b2809cab65f8068290e3c05ebdd +1
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 16 Aug 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 13 Nov 2026.
What to do
Upgrade Linux kernel to fd6493533af9e5d73d0d42ff2a8ded978a701dc6, f0f2b992d8185a0366be951685e08643aae17d6d, ec158d05eaa91b2809cab65f8068290e3c05ebdd or 75e1b2079ef0653a2f7aa69be515d86b7faf1908.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: phy: Don't register LEDs for genphy If a PHY has no driver, the genphy driver is probed/removed directly in phy_attach/detach. If the PHY's ofnode has an "leds" subnode, then the LEDs will be (un)registered when probing/removing the genphy driver. This could occur if the leds are for a non-generic driver that isn't loaded for whatever reason. Synchronously removing the PHY device in phy_detach leads to the following deadlock: rtnl_lock() ndo_close() ... phy_detach() phy_remove() phy_leds_unregister() led_classdev_unregister() led_trigger_set() netdev_trigger_deactivate() unregister_netdevice_notifier() rtnl_lock() There is a corresponding deadlock on the open/register side of things (and that one is reported by lockdep), but it requires a race while this one is deterministic. Generic PHYs do not support LEDs anyway, so don't bother registering them.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38537 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/75e1b2079ef0653a2f7aa69be515d86b7faf1908 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ec158d05eaa91b2809cab65f8068290e3c05ebdd (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f0f2b992d8185a0366be951685e08643aae17d6d (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/fd6493533af9e5d73d0d42ff2a8ded978a701dc6 (opens in a new tab)