CVE-2025-38682

i2c: core: Fix double-free of fwnode in i2c_unregister_device()

HIGH
7.8
CVSS Score
Published: September 4, 2025 at 03:32 PM UTC
Updated: October 19, 2026 at 09:10 PM UTC
1 product affected across 1 vendorLinux Kernel

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Severity
HIGH7.8
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: i2c: core: Fix double-free of fwnode in i2c_unregister_device() Before commit df6d7277e552 ("i2c: core: Do not dereference fwnode in struct device"), i2c_unregister_device() only called fwnode_handle_put() on of_node-s in the form of calling of_node_put(client->dev.of_node). But after this commit the i2c_client's fwnode now unconditionally gets fwnode_handle_put() on it. When the i2c_client has no primary (ACPI / OF) fwnode but it does have a software fwnode, the software-node will be the primary node and fwnode_handle_put() will put() it. But for the software fwnode device_remove_software_node() will also put() it leading to a double free: [ 82.665598] ------------[ cut here ]------------ [ 82.665609] refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free. [ 82.665808] WARNING: CPU: 3 PID: 1502 at lib/refcount.c:28 refcount_warn_saturate+0xba/0x11 ... [ 82.666830] RIP: 0010:refcount_warn_saturate+0xba/0x110 ... [ 82.666962] <TASK> [ 82.666971] i2c_unregister_device+0x60/0x90 Fix this by not calling fwnode_handle_put() when the primary fwnode is a software-node.

Affected

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

All versions6.16 ≤ v < 6.16.26.16df6d7277e5525d6cce63127dd93ebec4c6354fa0
Vendor states this is fixed in 1c24e5fc0c7096e00c202a6a3e0c342c1afb47c2 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in ffe02f7c4e36090154646612e67d331832f92037 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.16 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.16.2 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.17 (unaffected)

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

References (2)

Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1c24e5fc0c7096e00c202a6a3e0c342c1afb47c2
Patch
Source: 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ffe02f7c4e36090154646612e67d331832f92037

CVSS

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

Quick Info

StatusANALYZED
CWE
CWE-415

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