CVE-2025-38668

regulator: core: fix NULL dereference on unbind due to stale coupling data

MEDIUM

5.5

CVSS Score

Published: August 22, 2025 at 04:02 PM UTC

Updated: June 17, 2026 at 09:17 AM UTC

2 products affected across 2 vendorsLinux KernelDebian Linux

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Severity

MEDIUM5.5

Exploit prediction

EPSS 0.2%

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: regulator: core: fix NULL dereference on unbind due to stale coupling data Failing to reset coupling_desc.n_coupled after freeing coupled_rdevs can lead to NULL pointer dereference when regulators are accessed post-unbind. This can happen during runtime PM or other regulator operations that rely on coupling metadata. For example, on ridesx4, unbinding the 'reg-dummy' platform device triggers a panic in regulator_lock_recursive() due to stale coupling state. Ensure n_coupled is set to 0 to prevent access to invalid pointers.

Affected

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

Debian Linux · Debiandrupal

95%

11.0

Linux Kernel · Linux

95%

5.11 ≤ v < 5.15.1905.16 ≤ v < 6.1.1485.3 ≤ v < 5.10.2415.3 ≤ v < 5.15.1905.3 ≤ v < 5.4.2975.3 ≤ v < 6.1.1485.3 ≤ v < 6.12.415.3 ≤ v < 6.15.95.3 ≤ v < 6.165.3 ≤ v < 6.6.1015.5 ≤ v < 5.10.2416.13 ≤ v < 6.15.96.2 ≤ v < 6.6.1016.7 ≤ v < 6.12.415.3 6.16 rc1 6.16 rc2 6.16 rc3 6.16 rc4d8ca7d184b33af7913c244900df77c6cad6a5590

Vendor states this is fixed in 233d3c54c9620e95193923859ea1d0b0f5d748ca (fixed)

Vendor states this is fixed in 5d4261dbb3335221fd9c6e69f909ba79ee6663a7 (fixed)

Vendor states this is fixed in 6c49eac796681e250e34156bafb643930310bd4a (fixed)

Vendor states this is fixed in 7574892e259bbb16262ebfb4b65a2054a5e03a49 (fixed)

Vendor states this is fixed in 800a2cfb2df7f96b3fb48910fc595e0215f6b019 (fixed)

Vendor states this is fixed in ca46946a482238b0cdea459fb82fc837fb36260e (fixed)

Vendor states this is fixed in ca9bef9ba1a6be640c87bf802d2e9e696021576a (fixed)

Vendor states this is fixed in d7e59c5fd7a0f5e16e75a30a89ea2c4ab88612b8 (fixed)

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 5.3 (unaffected)

Vendor states this is fixed in 5.4.297 (unaffected)