VulnerabilityPublished 19 Aug 2025Updated 5 Nov 2026

CVE-2025-38609: Linux kernel · PM / devfreq: Check governor before using governor->name

Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5

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Not known to be exploited · fixed in f0479e878d4beb45e73c03e574c59f0a23ccd176 : update Linux kernel when convenient.

Data as of 5 Nov 2026, 21:34 UTC

Severity

Unrated

Rated by Threat Radar · No CVSS score from NVD or the CNA

Thin evidence

One scorer or none

Exploitation: No evidence of active exploitation and no public proof of concept
Automatable: Attackers cannot reliably automate steps 1–4 of the kill chain
Technical impact: Limited control over the software or limited information exposure

CISA SSVC assessment, 2026-11-05.

Patch

Available – fixed in f0479e878d4beb45e73c03e574c59f0a23ccd176, d5632359dbc44862fc1ed04093c1f57529830261, bab7834c03820eb11269bc48f07c3800192460d2 +4

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 19 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 5 Nov 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponized: A Metasploit exploit module or Exploit-DB entry exists (Metasploit scanner modules do not count), or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9, < f0479e878d4beb45e73c03e574c59f0a23ccd176	Fixed in f0479e878d4beb45e73c03e574c59f0a23ccd176
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9, < d5632359dbc44862fc1ed04093c1f57529830261	Fixed in d5632359dbc44862fc1ed04093c1f57529830261
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9, < bab7834c03820eb11269bc48f07c3800192460d2	Fixed in bab7834c03820eb11269bc48f07c3800192460d2
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9, < 75323a49aa603cf5484a6d74d0d329e86d756e11	Fixed in 75323a49aa603cf5484a6d74d0d329e86d756e11
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9, < 2731c68f536fddcb71332db7f8d78c5eb4684c04	Fixed in 2731c68f536fddcb71332db7f8d78c5eb4684c04
LinuxLinux	Affected ≥ 96ffcdf239de6f9970178bb7d643e16fd9e68ab9, < 631e101728df2a86b8fb761b49fad9712c651f8a	Fixed in 631e101728df2a86b8fb761b49fad9712c651f8a

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: PM / devfreq: Check governor before using governor->name Commit 96ffcdf239de ("PM / devfreq: Remove redundant governor_name from struct devfreq") removes governor_name and uses governor->name to replace it. But devfreq->governor may be NULL and directly using devfreq->governor->name may cause null pointer exception. Move the check of governor to before using governor->name.

References

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