Vulnerability Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: ch9200: fix uninitialised access during mii_nway_restart In mii_nway_restart() the code attempts to call mii->mdio_read which is ch9200_mdio_read(). ch9200_mdio_read() utilises a local buffer called "buff", which is initialised with control_read(). However "buff" is conditionally initialised inside control_read(): if (err == size) { memcpy(data, buf, size); } If the condition of "err == size" is not met, then "buff" remains uninitialised. Once this happens the uninitialised "buff" is accessed and returned during ch9200_mdio_read(): return (buff[0] | buff[1] << 8); The problem stems from the fact that ch9200_mdio_read() ignores the return value of control_read(), leading to uinit-access of "buff". To fix this we should check the return value of control_read() and return early on error.
CVSS Score
MEDIUM
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux Kernel | >= 4.3.1, < 5.4.295 |
| Debian | Debian Linux | 11.0 |
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/119766de4930ff40db9f36b960cb53b0c400e81bPatch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/33163c68d2e3061fa3935b5f0a1867958b1cdbd2Patch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4da7fcc098218ff92b2e83a43f545c02f714ceddPatch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6bd2569d0b2f918e9581f744df0263caf73ee76cPatch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9a350f30d65197354706b7759b5c89d6c267b1a9Patch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9ad0452c0277b816a435433cca601304cfac7c21Patch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9da3e442714f7f4393ff01c265c4959c03e88c2fPatch
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/cdaa6d1cb2ff1219c6c822b27655dd170ffb0f72Patch
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00007.htmlThird Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00008.htmlThird Party Advisory
FAQ
What is CVE-2025-38086?
CVE-2025-38086 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 (MEDIUM). In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: ch9200: fix uninitialised access during mii_nway_restart In mii_nway_restart() the code attempts to call mii->mdio_read which...
How severe is CVE-2025-38086?
CVE-2025-38086 has been rated MEDIUM with a CVSS base score of 5.5/10. Review the CVSS metrics above for detailed severity breakdown.
Is there a patch for CVE-2025-38086?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Affected products include: Linux Linux Kernel, Debian Debian Linux.