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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2025-71308 Linux CVE debrief

A NULL pointer dereference vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's AMD XDNA AI accelerator driver (accel/amdxdna). During context creation in aie2_create_context(), if mailbox channel creation fails, the context's mailbox channel pointer remains NULL. The error handling path then calls aie_destroy_context(), which assumes this pointer is non-NULL, leading to a NULL pointer dereference. The fix replaces aie_destroy_context() with a function that requests firmware to remove the previously created context, avoiding the unsafe dereference.

Vendor
Linux
Product
Unknown
CVSS
MEDIUM 5.5
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2026-05-27
Original CVE updated
2026-06-25
Advisory published
2026-05-27
Advisory updated
2026-06-25

Who should care

Organizations running Linux systems with AMD XDNA AI accelerators (Ryzen AI, Instinct MI series with XDNA), cloud providers offering AMD AI instances, and kernel maintainers responsible for AI accelerator driver security.

Technical summary

The AMD XDNA driver in the Linux kernel's accel/amdxdna subsystem contains a NULL pointer dereference in its error handling path. The function aie2_create_context() can fail during mailbox channel creation, leaving the context's mailbox channel pointer as NULL. The subsequent error cleanup calls aie_destroy_context(), which dereferences this pointer without validation. The resolution replaces the unsafe cleanup call with a firmware request to remove the partially created context, preventing the NULL pointer dereference.

Defensive priority

medium

Recommended defensive actions

  • Apply kernel updates containing the fix commits when available from your Linux distribution
  • Monitor stable kernel releases for backports of the fix to affected long-term support (LTS) kernels
  • Review systems utilizing AMD XDNA AI accelerators for kernel driver exposure
  • Consider disabling AMD XDNA driver if not required until patch is applied

Evidence notes

Vulnerability description sourced from official CVE record and NVD entry. Fix commits identified in kernel.org stable tree.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2025-71308 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-71308

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2025-71308 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-71308

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental references

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2611c9616cb52d3ed54a6095d72d18e645a6955a

    416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/97f27573837ef96b4ba42af463cc800cab615c0e

    416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.