CVE-2025-38563

perf/core: Prevent VMA split of buffer mappings

HIGH
7.8
CVSS Score
Published: August 19, 2025 at 05:02 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 09:17 AM UTC
2 products affected across 2 vendorsLinux KernelDebian Linux

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Severity
HIGH7.8
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.4%

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf/core: Prevent VMA split of buffer mappings The perf mmap code is careful about mmap()'ing the user page with the ringbuffer and additionally the auxiliary buffer, when the event supports it. Once the first mapping is established, subsequent mapping have to use the same offset and the same size in both cases. The reference counting for the ringbuffer and the auxiliary buffer depends on this being correct. Though perf does not prevent that a related mapping is split via mmap(2), munmap(2) or mremap(2). A split of a VMA results in perf_mmap_open() calls, which take reference counts, but then the subsequent perf_mmap_close() calls are not longer fulfilling the offset and size checks. This leads to reference count leaks. As perf already has the requirement for subsequent mappings to match the initial mapping, the obvious consequence is that VMA splits, caused by resizing of a mapping or partial unmapping, have to be prevented. Implement the vm_operations_struct::may_split() callback and return unconditionally -EINVAL. That ensures that the mapping offsets and sizes cannot be changed after the fact. Remapping to a different fixed address with the same size is still possible as it takes the references for the new mapping and drops those of the old mapping.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

4.1 ≤ v < 5.10.2414.1 ≤ v < 5.15.1904.1 ≤ v < 5.4.2974.1 ≤ v < 6.1.1484.1 ≤ v < 6.12.424.1 ≤ v < 6.15.104.1 ≤ v < 6.16.14.1 ≤ v < 6.174.1 ≤ v < 6.6.1025.11 ≤ v < 5.15.1905.16 ≤ v < 6.1.1485.5 ≤ v < 5.10.2416.13 ≤ v < 6.15.106.16 ≤ v < 6.16.16.2 ≤ v < 6.6.1026.7 ≤ v < 6.12.424.145bfb2e50471abbbfd83d40d28c986078b0d24ff
Vendor states this is fixed in 3bd518cc7ea61076bcd725e36ff0e690754977c0 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 65311aad4c808bedad0c05d9bb8b06c47dae73eb (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6757a31a8e295ae4f01717a954afda173f25a121 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7b84cb58d1f0aa07656802eae24689566e5f5b1b (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in b024d7b56c77191cde544f838debb7f8451cd0d6 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in d52451a9210f2e5a079ba052918c93563518a9ff (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in e4346ffec2c44d6b0be834d59b20632b5bb5729e (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in e529888b7e8092912dd8789bdfc76685ccd2ff5f (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in ff668930871e0198c7f4e325058b8b7c286787bd (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.1 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.10.241 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.15.190 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 5.4.297 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.1.148 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.12.42 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.15.10 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.16.1 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.17 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.6.102 (unaffected)

References (12)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3bd518cc7ea61076bcd725e36ff0e690754977c0
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/65311aad4c808bedad0c05d9bb8b06c47dae73eb
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6757a31a8e295ae4f01717a954afda173f25a121
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7b84cb58d1f0aa07656802eae24689566e5f5b1b
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b024d7b56c77191cde544f838debb7f8451cd0d6
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d52451a9210f2e5a079ba052918c93563518a9ff
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e4346ffec2c44d6b0be834d59b20632b5bb5729e
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e529888b7e8092912dd8789bdfc76685ccd2ff5f

CVSS

Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
NVD-CWE-noinfo

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