CVE-2025-37989: Linux kernel · net: phy: leds: fix memory leak
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium · fixed in 5.15.0-1088.95~20.04.1 : update Linux kernel when convenient.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 10:12 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 9% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 5.15.0-1088.95~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1094.103~20.04.1, 5.15.0-1087.96~20.04.2 +56
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 20 May 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: 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 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Patches and advisories
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7594-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7594-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7594-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7654-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7654-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7654-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7655-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7654-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7654-5 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7686-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7711-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7712-1 (opens in a new tab)
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=questingOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: phy: leds: fix memory leak A network restart test on a router led to an out-of-memory condition, which was traced to a memory leak in the PHY LED trigger code. The root cause is misuse of the devm API. The registration function (phy_led_triggers_register) is called from phy_attach_direct, not phy_probe, and the unregister function (phy_led_triggers_unregister) is called from phy_detach, not phy_remove. This means the register and unregister functions can be called multiple times for the same PHY device, but devm-allocated memory is not freed until the driver is unbound. This also prevents kmemleak from detecting the leak, as the devm API internally stores the allocated pointer. Fix this by replacing devm_kzalloc/devm_kcalloc with standard kzalloc/kcalloc, and add the corresponding kfree calls in the unregister path.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-37989 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-37989 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/b7f0ee992adf601aa00c252418266177eb7ac2bc (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/41143e71052a00d654c15dc924fda50c1e7357d0 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/618541a6cc1511064dfa58c89b3445e21844092f (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/663c3da86e807c6c07ed48f911c7526fad6fe1ff (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/7f3d5880800f962c347777c4f8358f29f5fc403c (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/95bed65cc0eb2a610550abf849a8b94374da80a7 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/966d6494e2ed9be9052fcd9815afba830896aaf8 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b7f0ee992adf601aa00c252418266177eb7ac2bc (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f41f097f68a33d392579885426d0734a81219501 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7594-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7594-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7594-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7654-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7654-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7654-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7655-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7654-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7654-5 (opens in a new tab)