# CVE-2025-38417: ice: fix eswitch code memory leak in reset scenario

Status: published. Published: 2025-07-25. Updated: 2026-11-05.

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

ice: fix eswitch code memory leak in reset scenario

Add simple eswitch mode checker in attaching VF procedure and allocate
required port representor memory structures only in switchdev mode.
The reset flows triggers VF (if present) detach/attach procedure.
It might involve VF port representor(s) re-creation if the device is
configured is switchdev mode (not legacy one).
The memory was blindly allocated in current implementation,
regardless of the mode and not freed if in legacy mode.

Kmemeleak trace:
unreferenced object (percpu) 0x7e3bce5b888458 (size 40):
  comm "bash", pid 1784, jiffies 4295743894
  hex dump (first 32 bytes on cpu 45):
    00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  ................
    00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  ................
  backtrace (crc 0):
    pcpu_alloc_noprof+0x4c4/0x7c0
    ice_repr_create+0x66/0x130 [ice]
    ice_repr_create_vf+0x22/0x70 [ice]
    ice_eswitch_attach_vf+0x1b/0xa0 [ice]
    ice_reset_all_vfs+0x1dd/0x2f0 [ice]
    ice_pci_err_resume+0x3b/0xb0 [ice]
    pci_reset_function+0x8f/0x120
    reset_store+0x56/0xa0
    kernfs_fop_write_iter+0x120/0x1b0
    vfs_write+0x31c/0x430
    ksys_write+0x61/0xd0
    do_syscall_64+0x5b/0x180
    entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e

Testing hints (ethX is PF netdev):
- create at least one VF
    echo 1 > /sys/class/net/ethX/device/sriov_numvfs
- trigger the reset
    echo 1 > /sys/class/net/ethX/device/reset

## Remediation

No remediation reported in collected sources

## Affected products and versions

- Linux / Linux: ≥ 415db8399d06a45ebd7b7d26b951f831a4b01801; < d6715193de439b79f1d6a4c03593c7529239b545 (affected, git); ≥ 415db8399d06a45ebd7b7d26b951f831a4b01801; < e97a7a051b55f55f276c1568491d0ed7f890ee94 (affected, git); ≥ 415db8399d06a45ebd7b7d26b951f831a4b01801; < 48c8b214974dc55283bd5f12e3a483b27c403bbc (affected, git). Source: CNA: Linux
- Linux / Linux: 6.12 (affected); ≥ 0; < 6.12 (unaffected, semver); ≥ 6.12.35; ≤ 6.12.* (unaffected, semver); ≥ 6.15.4; ≤ 6.15.* (unaffected, semver); ≥ 6.16; ≤ * (unaffected, original_commit_for_fix). Source: CNA: Linux

## Severity and prioritization

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.19% as of 2026-11-05; percentile 8.65%

- SSVC: exploitation none; automatable no; technical impact partial; source ADP: CISA-ADP

- Weaknesses: Not reported

## Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d6715193de439b79f1d6a4c03593c7529239b545 (CNA: Linux)

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e97a7a051b55f55f276c1568491d0ed7f890ee94 (CNA: Linux)

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/48c8b214974dc55283bd5f12e3a483b27c403bbc (CNA: Linux)

## Provenance

- CNA: Linux: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38417; retrieved 2026-11-05; source updated 2026-11-05

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2025-38417; retrieved 2026-11-05; source updated Not reported

Revision: cabba82ac66a9475779eb4f2149c3909eedc0e1c41c70289db0577aa095c17e8

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2025-38417

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