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CVE-2025-38451 Siemens CVE debrief

CVE-2025-38451 is a local Linux kernel availability issue tied to md/md-bitmap bitmap_get_stats(). On affected Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU models, a missing or inconsistent super-block check can lead to a kernel GPF/Oops when stats are read, potentially disrupting the device's GNU/Linux subsystem.

Vendor
Siemens
Product
SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4AX00-1AB0)
CVSS
MEDIUM 5.5
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2025-06-10
Original CVE updated
2026-05-14
Advisory published
2025-06-10
Advisory updated
2026-05-14

Who should care

Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 operators, OT/ICS defenders, and teams managing the additional GNU/Linux subsystem or local shell access on the affected CPU models.

Technical summary

The supplied advisory states that bitmap_get_stats() was intended to handle both internal and external bitmaps, but the implementation only validated the super-block for the internal case. That mismatch can dereference invalid data and trigger a kernel GPF during seq_read/proc read paths. The disclosed CVSS 3.1 vector is AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H, indicating local access and availability impact only.

Defensive priority

High for affected fleets: the issue has no fix listed in the supplied advisory, can crash a kernel path, and is reachable with local privileges. Prioritize compensating controls that reduce local access and execution in the GNU/Linux subsystem.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Restrict access to the interactive shell of the additional GNU/Linux subsystem to trusted personnel only.
  • Limit which applications can be built and run on the device, and only use trusted sources.
  • Review whether the affected Siemens CPU models are deployed in environments where local user access is possible, and reduce that exposure.
  • Monitor affected devices for kernel Oops, unexpected reboots, or service disruption associated with md/md-bitmap activity.
  • Track Siemens ProductCERT and CISA updates for any future fix or revised remediation guidance, since the supplied advisory lists no fix currently available.

Evidence notes

CISA's CSAF advisory ICSA-25-162-05 was published on 2025-06-10 and last updated on 2026-05-14. The source ties CVE-2025-38451 to Siemens ProductCERT advisory SSA-082556 and lists five affected SIMATIC/SIPLUS S7-1500 CPU variants. The vulnerability description in the corpus attributes the fault to an md/md-bitmap bitmap_get_stats() super-block validation error that can produce a GPF/Oops and carries a CVSS 3.1 vector of AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. No KEV listing or active exploitation evidence is present in the supplied materials.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2025-38451 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38451

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

  • CVE-2025-38451 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38451

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

Supplemental references

  • Source item URL

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cisagov/CSAF/develop/csaf_files/OT/white/2025/icsa-25-162-05.json

    cisa_csaf

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/csaf/ssa-082556.json

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-082556.html

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/ics-advisories/icsa-25-162-05

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/ics-alerts/ics-alert-10-301-01

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/ics-recommended-practices

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/topics/industrial-control-systems

    Reference

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/recommended_practices/NCCIC_ICS-CERT_Defense_in_Depth_2016_S508C.pdf

    Reference

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.