Read the docs
TI-2025-25677 Aliases CVE-2025-38338GHSA-3696-vcmq-4g83

fs/nfs/read: fix double-unlock bug in nfs_return_empty_folio()

Priority LOW 33CWE-415Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Code execution
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 3 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-415 and the CVSS impact.

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs/nfs/read: fix double-unlock bug in nfs_return_empty_folio() Sometimes, when a file was read while it was being truncated by another NFS client, the kernel could deadlock because folio_unlock() was called twice, and the second call would XOR back the `PG_locked` flag. Most of the time (depending on the timing of the truncation), nobody notices the problem because folio_unlock() gets called three times, which flips `PG_locked` back off: 1. vfs_read, nfs_read_folio, ... nfs_read_add_folio, nfs_return_empty_folio 2. vfs_read, nfs_read_folio, ... netfs_read_collection, netfs_unlock_abandoned_read_pages 3. vfs_read, ... nfs_do_read_folio, nfs_read_add_folio, nfs_return_empty_folio The problem is that nfs_read_add_folio() is not supposed to unlock the folio if fscache is enabled, and a nfs_netfs_folio_unlock() check is missing in nfs_return_empty_folio(). Rarely this leads to a warning in netfs_read_collection(): ------------[ cut here ]------------ R=0000031c: folio 10 is not locked WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 29 at fs/netfs/read_collect.c:133 netfs_read_collection+0x7c0/0xf00 [...] Workqueue: events_unbound netfs_read_collection_worker RIP: 0010:netfs_read_collection+0x7c0/0xf00 [...] Call Trace: <TASK> netfs_read_collection_worker+0x67/0x80 process_one_work+0x12e/0x2c0 worker_thread+0x295/0x3a0 Most of the time, however, processes just get stuck forever in folio_wait_bit_common(), waiting for `PG_locked` to disappear, which never happens because nobody is really holding the folio lock.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00185 8th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 6.6.95, 6.12.35, 6.15.4 +1Red Hat: 3 without a fix

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
LinuxLinux6.4 and later6.6.95, 6.12.35, 6.15.4, 6.16Patch availableCNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.4 and later Fixed in 6.6.95, 6.12.35, 6.15.4, 6.16 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*6.4 to before 6.6.95; 6.7 to before 6.12.35; 6.13 to before 6.15.4VulnerableLinux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.4 to before 6.6.95; 6.7 to before 6.12.35; 6.13 to before 6.15.4 Vulnerable ·Linux

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.6.95, 6.12.35, 6.15.4, 6.16

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Not affected: 2 products
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-38338
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-3696-vcmq-4g83
  3. 2026-11-05 CISA SSVC decision points changed

References

  • TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
  • TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
  • TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
See all 15278 →

Sources