---
id: CVE-2025-38440
title: >-
  kernel: Linux kernel: Denial of Service due to race condition in mlx5e driver
  (CVE-2025-38440)
summary: >-
  A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's net/mlx5e driver. A race condition
  exists between disabling Dynamic Interrupt Moderation (DIM) and New API (NAPI)
  callbacks. This timing issue can lead to a NULL pointer dereference, which
  results in …
severity: medium
cvss: 4.7
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
cvssSource: vendor
cwe: CWE-367
vendor: Red Hat
product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
affected:
  - enterprise_linux 10
  - enterprise_linux 9
published: '2025-07-25'
updated: '2026-10-16'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-16T22:55:53+00:00'
source: CSAF
sourceUrl: 'https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2025/cve-2025-38440.json'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2025/cve-2025-38440.json
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-38440'
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2383492'
  - url: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38440'
  - url: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38440'
  - url: >-
      https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/2025072501-CVE-2025-38440-cb71@gregkh/T
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7581afc051542e11ccf3ade68acd01b7fb1a3cde'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2bc6fb90486e42dd80e660ef7a40c02b2516c6d6'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/eb41a264a3a576dc040ee37c3d9d6b7e2d9be968'
tags:
  - csaf
  - vex
  - red-hat
  - cve.org
  - score-dispute
epss: 0.00133
epssPercentile: 0.02559
ssvc:
  exploitation: none
  automatable: 'no'
  technicalImpact: total
  timestamp: '2026-10-15T21:50:26.078086Z'
scores:
  vendor: 4.7
  cna: 7.8
ingestedAt: '2026-10-15T22:48:25.507Z'
---

## Overview

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's net/mlx5e driver. A race condition exists between disabling Dynamic Interrupt Moderation (DIM) and New API (NAPI) callbacks. This timing issue can lead to a NULL pointer dereference, which results in a kernel panic and a system crash, causing a Denial of Service (DoS). A local attacker with low privileges could potentially exploit this vulnerability.

## Vendor advisories

- **Red Hat VEX** · Moderate · affected: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 · no fix planned: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 · updated 2026-10-16 · [vex](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2025/cve-2025-38440.json)

**kernel: Linux kernel: Denial of Service due to race condition in mlx5e driver** — rated Moderate by Red Hat. Released 2025-07-25, updated 2026-10-16.

Affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9

No fix planned:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9

Not affected:

- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8

## Remediation

Fix deferred

Workarounds / mitigations:

- Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base, or stability.