# CVE-2025-38542: net: appletalk: Fix device refcount leak in atrtr_create()

CVE-2025-38542 is fixed in 9 products on 1 platform, first by DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38542, released August 16, 2025. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: Routine.

- Web page: https://patchblox.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-38542
- Priority: Routine
- CVSS: 5.5 (medium)
- EPSS: 0.0019
- CISA KEV: not listed
- Exploited (vendor report): no
- Publicly disclosed: no
- Published: Aug 16, 2025
- Vendor advisory: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-38542

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:  net: appletalk: Fix device refcount leak in atrtr_create()  When updating an existing route entry in atrtr_create(), the old device reference was not being released before assigning the new device, leading to a device refcount leak. Fix this by calling dev_put() to release the old device reference before holding the new one.

## Where it's fixed

| Platform | Product | Fixed in | Fix | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | kernel-uek ol 8 | 0:5.4.17-2136.348.3.el7uek | [ELSA-2025-20663](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20663.md) | Oct 11, 2025 |
| Linux | kernel-uek-container ol 8 | 0:5.4.17-2136.348.3.el7uek | [ELSA-2025-20663](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20663.md) | Oct 11, 2025 |
| Linux | kernel-uek-container-debug ol 8 | 0:5.4.17-2136.348.3.el7uek | [ELSA-2025-20663](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20663.md) | Oct 11, 2025 |
| Linux | kernel-uek-debug ol 8 | 0:5.4.17-2136.348.3.el7uek | [ELSA-2025-20663](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20663.md) | Oct 11, 2025 |
| Linux | kernel-uek-debug-devel ol 8 | 0:5.4.17-2136.348.3.el7uek | [ELSA-2025-20663](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20663.md) | Oct 11, 2025 |
| Linux | kernel-uek-devel ol 8 | 0:5.4.17-2136.348.3.el7uek | [ELSA-2025-20663](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20663.md) | Oct 11, 2025 |
| Linux | kernel-uek-doc ol 8 | 0:5.4.17-2136.348.3.el7uek | [ELSA-2025-20663](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20663.md) | Oct 11, 2025 |
| Linux | kernel-uek-tools ol 8 | 0:5.4.17-2136.348.3.el7uek | [ELSA-2025-20663](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20663.md) | Oct 11, 2025 |
| Linux | linux Debian 12.15 (bookworm) | 6.1.147-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38542](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2025-38542.md) | Aug 16, 2025 |
| Linux | linux Debian 13.5 (trixie) | 6.12.41-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38542](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2025-38542.md) | Aug 16, 2025 |
| Linux | linux Debian 14 | 6.16.3-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38542](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2025-38542.md) | Aug 16, 2025 |

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Data as of 2026-11-08T19:12:23Z UTC. Source: Patchblox Patch Radar (https://patchblox.com/security/patch-radar). Patchblox finds out-of-date software on Windows, macOS and Linux and updates it through release rings: https://patchblox.com/demo

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