CVE-2025-38623
Linux Kernel PowerNV PCI Hotplug Surprise Plug Detection and Recovery Vulnerability
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: PCI: pnv_php: Fix surprise plug detection and recovery The existing PowerNV hotplug code did not handle surprise plug events correctly, leading to a complete failure of the hotplug system after device removal and a required reboot to detect new devices. This comes down to two issues: 1) When a device is surprise removed, often the bridge upstream port will cause a PE freeze on the PHB. If this freeze is not cleared, the MSI interrupts from the bridge hotplug notification logic will not be received by the kernel, stalling all plug events on all slots associated with the PE. 2) When a device is removed from a slot, regardless of surprise or programmatic removal, the associated PHB/PE ls left frozen. If this freeze is not cleared via a fundamental reset, skiboot is unable to clear the freeze and cannot retrain / rescan the slot. This also requires a reboot to clear the freeze and redetect the device in the slot. Issue the appropriate unfreeze and rescan commands on hotplug events, and don't oops on hotplug if pci_bus_to_OF_node() returns NULL. [bhelgaas: tidy comments]
INFO
Published Date :
Aug. 22, 2025, 4:15 p.m.
Last Modified :
Aug. 22, 2025, 6:08 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
No
Source :
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Solution
- Apply the Linux kernel patch to fix hotplug event handling.
- Ensure PHB/PE freezes are cleared upon device removal.
- Update the kernel to resolve surprise plug detection issues.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2025-38623.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2025-38623 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2025-38623
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
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CVE-2025-38623 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2025-38623 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
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New CVE Received by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
Aug. 22, 2025
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: PCI: pnv_php: Fix surprise plug detection and recovery The existing PowerNV hotplug code did not handle surprise plug events correctly, leading to a complete failure of the hotplug system after device removal and a required reboot to detect new devices. This comes down to two issues: 1) When a device is surprise removed, often the bridge upstream port will cause a PE freeze on the PHB. If this freeze is not cleared, the MSI interrupts from the bridge hotplug notification logic will not be received by the kernel, stalling all plug events on all slots associated with the PE. 2) When a device is removed from a slot, regardless of surprise or programmatic removal, the associated PHB/PE ls left frozen. If this freeze is not cleared via a fundamental reset, skiboot is unable to clear the freeze and cannot retrain / rescan the slot. This also requires a reboot to clear the freeze and redetect the device in the slot. Issue the appropriate unfreeze and rescan commands on hotplug events, and don't oops on hotplug if pci_bus_to_OF_node() returns NULL. [bhelgaas: tidy comments] Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1d2f63680c5719a5da92639e981c6c9a87fcee08 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/473999ba937eac9776be791deed7c84a21d7880b Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/48c6935a34981bb56f35be0774ec1f30c6e386f8 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6e7b24c71e530a6c1d656e73d8a30ee081656844 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/78d20b8c13075eae3d884c21db7a09a6bbdda5b2 Added Reference https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a2a2a6fc2469524caa713036297c542746d148dc