RDMA/iwcm: Fix use-after-free of work objects after cm_id destruction
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 35 fixed, 3 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-416 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: RDMA/iwcm: Fix use-after-free of work objects after cm_id destruction The commit 59c68ac31e15 ("iw_cm: free cm_id resources on the last deref") simplified cm_id resource management by freeing cm_id once all references to the cm_id were removed. The references are removed either upon completion of iw_cm event handlers or when the application destroys the cm_id. This commit introduced the use-after-free condition where cm_id_private object could still be in use by event handler works during the destruction of cm_id. The commit aee2424246f9 ("RDMA/iwcm: Fix a use-after-free related to destroying CM IDs") addressed this use-after- free by flushing all pending works at the cm_id destruction. However, still another use-after-free possibility remained. It happens with the work objects allocated for each cm_id_priv within alloc_work_entries() during cm_id creation, and subsequently freed in dealloc_work_entries() once all references to the cm_id are removed. If the cm_id's last reference is decremented in the event handler work, the work object for the work itself gets removed, and causes the use- after-free BUG below: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in __pwq_activate_work+0x1ff/0x250 Read of size 8 at addr ffff88811f9cf800 by task kworker/u16:1/147091 CPU: 2 UID: 0 PID: 147091 Comm: kworker/u16:1 Not tainted 6.15.0-rc2+ #27 PREEMPT(voluntary) Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.16.3-3.fc41 04/01/2014 Workqueue: 0x0 (iw_cm_wq) Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x6a/0x90 print_report+0x174/0x554 ? __virt_addr_valid+0x208/0x430 ? __pwq_activate_work+0x1ff/0x250 kasan_report+0xae/0x170 ? __pwq_activate_work+0x1ff/0x250 __pwq_activate_work+0x1ff/0x250 pwq_dec_nr_in_flight+0x8c5/0xfb0 process_one_work+0xc11/0x1460 ? __pfx_process_one_work+0x10/0x10 ? assign_work+0x16c/0x240 worker_thread+0x5ef/0xfd0 ? __pfx_worker_thread+0x10/0x10 kthread+0x3b0/0x770 ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 ? rcu_is_watching+0x11/0xb0 ? _raw_spin_unlock_irq+0x24/0x50 ? rcu_is_watching+0x11/0xb0 ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 ret_from_fork+0x30/0x70 ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 </TASK> Allocated by task 147416: kasan_save_stack+0x2c/0x50 kasan_save_track+0x10/0x30 __kasan_kmalloc+0xa6/0xb0 alloc_work_entries+0xa9/0x260 [iw_cm] iw_cm_connect+0x23/0x4a0 [iw_cm] rdma_connect_locked+0xbfd/0x1920 [rdma_cm] nvme_rdma_cm_handler+0x8e5/0x1b60 [nvme_rdma] cma_cm_event_handler+0xae/0x320 [rdma_cm] cma_work_handler+0x106/0x1b0 [rdma_cm] process_one_work+0x84f/0x1460 worker_thread+0x5ef/0xfd0 kthread+0x3b0/0x770 ret_from_fork+0x30/0x70 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 Freed by task 147091: kasan_save_stack+0x2c/0x50 kasan_save_track+0x10/0x30 kasan_save_free_info+0x37/0x60 __kasan_slab_free+0x4b/0x70 kfree+0x13a/0x4b0 dealloc_work_entries+0x125/0x1f0 [iw_cm] iwcm_deref_id+0x6f/0xa0 [iw_cm] cm_work_handler+0x136/0x1ba0 [iw_cm] process_one_work+0x84f/0x1460 worker_thread+0x5ef/0xfd0 kthread+0x3b0/0x770 ret_from_fork+0x30/0x70 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 Last potentially related work creation: kasan_save_stack+0x2c/0x50 kasan_record_aux_stack+0xa3/0xb0 __queue_work+0x2ff/0x1390 queue_work_on+0x67/0xc0 cm_event_handler+0x46a/0x820 [iw_cm] siw_cm_upcall+0x330/0x650 [siw] siw_cm_work_handler+0x6b9/0x2b20 [siw] process_one_work+0x84f/0x1460 worker_thread+0x5ef/0xfd0 kthread+0x3b0/0x770 ret_from_fork+0x30/0x70 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 This BUG is reproducible by repeating the blktests test case nvme/061 for the rdma transport and the siw driver. To avoid the use-after-free of cm_id_private work objects, ensure that the last reference to the cm_id is decremented not in the event handler works, but in the cm_id destruction context. For that purpose, mo ---truncated---
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 4.8 and later | 5.4.296, 5.10.240, 5.15.186, 6.1.142, 6.6.95, 6.12.35, 6.15.4, 6.16 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 4.8 and later Fixed in 5.4.296, 5.10.240, 5.15.186, 6.1.142, 6.6.95, 6.12.35, 6.15.4, 6.16 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 2
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.8 to before 5.4.296; 5.5 to before 5.10.240; 5.11 to before 5.15.186; 5.16 to before 6.1.142; 6.2 to before 6.6.95; 6.7 to before 6.12.35; 6.13 to before 6.15.4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 11.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.8 to before 5.4.296; 5.5 to before 5.10.240; 5.11 to before 5.15.186; 5.16 to before 6.1.142; 6.2 to before 6.6.95; 6.7 to before 6.12.35; 6.13 to before 6.15.4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.4.296, 5.10.240, 5.15.186, 6.1.142, 6.6.95, 6.12.35, 6.15.4, 6.16
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Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder EUS (v.9.4) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:16669 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 10) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15005 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15011 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream E4S (v.9.0) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:17159 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream E4S (v.9.2) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15669 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream EUS (v.9.4) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:16669 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 10) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15005 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15008 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15011 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS AUS (v. 8.2) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:21667 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS AUS (v.8.4) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:22752 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS AUS (v.8.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:18043 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS E4S (v.8.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:18043 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS E4S (v.8.8) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:17570 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS E4S (v.9.0) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:17159 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS E4S (v.9.2) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15669 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v.9.4) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:16669 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS EXTENSION (v.8.4) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:22752 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS TUS (v.8.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:18043 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS TUS (v.8.8) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:17570 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux CRB (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15008 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 10) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15005 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15011 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux NFV (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15009 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux NFV E4S (v.9.0) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:17192 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux RT (v. 8) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15009 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 10) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15005 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15011 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time E4S (v.9.0) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:17192 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time E4S (v.9.2) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15657 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time EUS (v.9.4) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:16669 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 10) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15005 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15011 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV E4S (v.9.2) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:15657 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV EUS (v.9.4) | Fixed | RHSA-2025:16669 |
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream E4S (v.9.2)
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time E4S (v.9.2)
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV E4S (v.9.2)
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-38211
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-wcw7-g3wh-rxf7
References
Patch 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/013dcdf6f03bcedbaf1669e3db71c34a197715b2
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bf7eff5e3a36c54bbe8aff7fd6dd7c07490b81c5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3b4a50d733acad6831f6bd9288a76a80f70650ac
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/78381dc8a6b61c9bb9987d37b4d671b99767c4a1
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/23a707bbcbea468eedb398832eeb7e8e0ceafd21
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/764c9f69beabef8bdc651a7746c59f7a340d104f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fd960b5ddf4faf00da43babdd3acda68842e1f6a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6883b680e703c6b2efddb4e7a8d891ce1803d06b
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Sources
- CVE-2025-38211 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-38211 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-wcw7-g3wh-rxf7 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2025-38211 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences