CVE-2025-38433
riscv: fix runtime constant support for nommu kernels
Published Jul 25, 2025
CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium
EPSS < 1%
KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
riscv: fix runtime constant support for nommu kernels
the `__runtime_fixup_32` function does not handle the case where `val` is
zero correctly (as might occur when patching a nommu kernel and referring
to a physical address below the 4GiB boundary whose upper 32 bits are all
zero) because nothing in the existing logic prevents the code from taking
the `else` branch of both nop-checks and emitting two `nop` instructions.
This leaves random garbage in the register that is supposed to receive the
upper 32 bits of the pointer instead of zero that when combined with the
value for the lower 32 bits yields an invalid pointer and causes a kernel
panic when that pointer is eventually accessed.
The author clearly considered the fact that if the `lui` is converted into
a `nop` that the second instruction needs to be adjusted to become an `li`
instead of an `addi`, hence introducing the `addi_insn_mask` variable, but
didn't follow that logic through fully to the case where the `else` branch
executes. To fix it just adjust the logic to ensure that the second `else`
branch is not taken if the first instruction will be patched to a `nop`.
riscv: fix runtime constant support for nommu kernels
the `__runtime_fixup_32` function does not handle the case where `val` is
zero correctly (as might occur when patching a nommu kernel and referring
to a physical address below the 4GiB boundary whose upper 32 bits are all
zero) because nothing in the existing logic prevents the code from taking
the `else` branch of both nop-checks and emitting two `nop` instructions.
This leaves random garbage in the register that is supposed to receive the
upper 32 bits of the pointer instead of zero that when combined with the
value for the lower 32 bits yields an invalid pointer and causes a kernel
panic when that pointer is eventually accessed.
The author clearly considered the fact that if the `lui` is converted into
a `nop` that the second instruction needs to be adjusted to become an `li`
instead of an `addi`, hence introducing the `addi_insn_mask` variable, but
didn't follow that logic through fully to the case where the `else` branch
executes. To fix it just adjust the logic to ensure that the second `else`
branch is not taken if the first instruction will be patched to a `nop`.
Affected Products
-
CVE record
-
NVD configurations
-
Red Hat packages
No data
-
OpenCVE enrichment
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
|
|||||||||||||||
| Linux | Linux | affected |
|
Configuration 1 [-]
|
No data.
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux Kernel | — |
Remediation
Tracking
Advisories
| Source | ID | Title |
|---|---|---|
 EUVD |
EUVD-2025-22713 | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: riscv: fix runtime constant support for nommu kernels the `__runtime_fixup_32` function does not handle the case where `val` is zero correctly (as might occur when patching a nommu kernel and referring to a physical address below the 4GiB boundary whose upper 32 bits are all zero) because nothing in the existing logic prevents the code from taking the `else` branch of both nop-checks and emitting two `nop` instructions. This leaves random garbage in the register that is supposed to receive the upper 32 bits of the pointer instead of zero that when combined with the value for the lower 32 bits yields an invalid pointer and causes a kernel panic when that pointer is eventually accessed. The author clearly considered the fact that if the `lui` is converted into a `nop` that the second instruction needs to be adjusted to become an `li` instead of an `addi`, hence introducing the `addi_insn_mask` variable, but didn't follow that logic through fully to the case where the `else` branch executes. To fix it just adjust the logic to ensure that the second `else` branch is not taken if the first instruction will be patched to a `nop`. |
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0
Attack Vector Local
Attack Complexity Low
Privileges Required Low
Scope Unchanged
Confidentiality Impact None
Integrity Impact None
Availability Impact High
User Interaction None
No CVSS v3.0
No CVSS v2
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
Exploit prediction score: < 1% (0.159% probability within 30 days)
Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.
References
History
Nov 19, 2025 6:15 PM
Weaknesses updated. Affected versions updated
View changes
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Weaknesses | CWE-476 | |
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* |
Jul 29, 2025 12:30 PM
Added references. Scoring metrics updated
View changes
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| References |
| |
| Metrics |
threat_severity
|
cvssV3_1
|
Jul 26, 2025 12:15 PM
First appearance in the feed. Affected vendors updated
View changes
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
Jul 25, 2025 2:45 PM
Description updated. Title updated. Added references
View changes
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: riscv: fix runtime constant support for nommu kernels the `__runtime_fixup_32` function does not handle the case where `val` is zero correctly (as might occur when patching a nommu kernel and referring to a physical address below the 4GiB boundary whose upper 32 bits are all zero) because nothing in the existing logic prevents the code from taking the `else` branch of both nop-checks and emitting two `nop` instructions. This leaves random garbage in the register that is supposed to receive the upper 32 bits of the pointer instead of zero that when combined with the value for the lower 32 bits yields an invalid pointer and causes a kernel panic when that pointer is eventually accessed. The author clearly considered the fact that if the `lui` is converted into a `nop` that the second instruction needs to be adjusted to become an `li` instead of an `addi`, hence introducing the `addi_insn_mask` variable, but didn't follow that logic through fully to the case where the `else` branch executes. To fix it just adjust the logic to ensure that the second `else` branch is not taken if the first instruction will be patched to a `nop`. | |
| Title | riscv: fix runtime constant support for nommu kernels | |
| References |
|
Subscriptions
Weaknesses
