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CVE-2025-38055

kernel: perf/x86/intel: Fix segfault with PEBS-via-PT with sample_freq

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Severity

Moderate

Red Hat Product Security

5.5

CVSS 3.1

Review impact separately from score.

Published · June 18, 2025

Updated · July 8, 2026

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

perf/x86/intel: Fix segfault with PEBS-via-PT with sample_freq

Currently, using PEBS-via-PT with a sample frequency instead of a sample period, causes a segfault. For example:

BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000195
<NMI>
? __die_body.cold+0x19/0x27
? page_fault_oops+0xca/0x290
? exc_page_fault+0x7e/0x1b0
? asm_exc_page_fault+0x26/0x30
? intel_pmu_pebs_event_update_no_drain+0x40/0x60
? intel_pmu_pebs_event_update_no_drain+0x32/0x60
intel_pmu_drain_pebs_icl+0x333/0x350
handle_pmi_common+0x272/0x3c0
intel_pmu_handle_irq+0x10a/0x2e0
perf_event_nmi_handler+0x2a/0x50

That happens because intel_pmu_pebs_event_update_no_drain() assumes all the pebs_enabled bits represent counter indexes, which is not always the case. In this particular case, bits 60 and 61 are set for PEBS-via-PT purposes.

The behaviour of PEBS-via-PT with sample frequency is questionable because although a PMI is generated (PEBS_PMI_AFTER_EACH_RECORD), the period is not adjusted anyway.

Putting that aside, fix intel_pmu_pebs_event_update_no_drain() by passing the mask of counter bits instead of 'size'. Note, prior to the Fixes commit, 'size' would be limited to the maximum counter index, so the issue was not hit.

CVSS score applicability

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.

Mitigation

No mitigation is specified in collected source.

CVSS / CWE

CVSS 3.1 · 5.5
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CWE-823 · Use of Out-of-range Pointer Offset