sch_htb: make htb_deactivate() idempotent
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-476.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sch_htb: make htb_deactivate() idempotent Alan reported a NULL pointer dereference in htb_next_rb_node() after we made htb_qlen_notify() idempotent. It turns out in the following case it introduced some regression: htb_dequeue_tree(): |-> fq_codel_dequeue() |-> qdisc_tree_reduce_backlog() |-> htb_qlen_notify() |-> htb_deactivate() |-> htb_next_rb_node() |-> htb_deactivate() For htb_next_rb_node(), after calling the 1st htb_deactivate(), the clprio[prio]->ptr could be already set to NULL, which means htb_next_rb_node() is vulnerable here. For htb_deactivate(), although we checked qlen before calling it, in case of qlen==0 after qdisc_tree_reduce_backlog(), we may call it again which triggers the warning inside. To fix the issues here, we need to: 1) Make htb_deactivate() idempotent, that is, simply return if we already call it before. 2) Make htb_next_rb_node() safe against ptr==NULL. Many thanks to Alan for testing and for the reproducer.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6.1.138 to before 6.1.139; 6.6.90 to before 6.6.91; 6.12.28 to before 6.12.29; 6.14.6 to before 6.14.7 | 6.1.139, 6.6.91, 6.12.29, 6.14.7 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.1.138 to before 6.1.139; 6.6.90 to before 6.6.91; 6.12.28 to before 6.12.29; 6.14.6 to before 6.14.7 Fixed in 6.1.139, 6.6.91, 6.12.29, 6.14.7 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 9
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1.138:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1.138 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6.90:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.6.90 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.28:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.12.28 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.14.6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 11.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.1.138:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1.138 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.6.90:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.6.90 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.28:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.12.28 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.14.6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.139, 6.6.91, 6.12.29, 6.14.7
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-37953
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-ccmh-pfgg-525g
References
Patch 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/99ff8a20fd61315bf9ae627440a5ff07d22ee153
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a9945f7cf1709adc5d2d31cb6cfc85627ce299a8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c2d25fddd867ce20a266806634eeeb5c30cb520c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c928dd4f6bf0c25c72b11824a1e9ac9bd37296a0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/31ff70ad39485698cf779f2078132d80b57f6c07
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/98cd7ed92753090a714f0802d4434314526fe61d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c4792b9e38d2f61b07eac72f10909fa76130314b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3769478610135e82b262640252d90f6efb05be71
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Sources
- CVE-2025-37953 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-37953 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-ccmh-pfgg-525g · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2025-37953 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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