ksmbd: vfs: fix race on m_flags in vfs_cache
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: vfs: fix race on m_flags in vfs_cache ksmbd maintains delete-on-close and pending-delete state in ksmbd_inode->m_flags. In vfs_cache.c this field is accessed under inconsistent locking: some paths read and modify m_flags under ci->m_lock while others do so without taking the lock at all. Examples: - ksmbd_query_inode_status() and __ksmbd_inode_close() use ci->m_lock when checking or updating m_flags. - ksmbd_inode_pending_delete(), ksmbd_set_inode_pending_delete(), ksmbd_clear_inode_pending_delete() and ksmbd_fd_set_delete_on_close() used to read and modify m_flags without ci->m_lock. This creates a potential data race on m_flags when multiple threads open, close and delete the same file concurrently. In the worst case delete-on-close and pending-delete bits can be lost or observed in an inconsistent state, leading to confusing delete semantics (files that stay on disk after delete-on-close, or files that disappear while still in use). Fix it by: - Making ksmbd_query_inode_status() look at m_flags under ci->m_lock after dropping inode_hash_lock. - Adding ci->m_lock protection to all helpers that read or modify m_flags (ksmbd_inode_pending_delete(), ksmbd_set_inode_pending_delete(), ksmbd_clear_inode_pending_delete(), ksmbd_fd_set_delete_on_close()). - Keeping the existing ci->m_lock protection in __ksmbd_inode_close(), and moving the actual unlink/xattr removal outside the lock. This unifies the locking around m_flags and removes the data race while preserving the existing delete-on-close behaviour.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.191, 6.6.120, 6.12.64, 6.18.3, 6.19
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Important. 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-2025-68809
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-ffpf-rf35-3fhq
- 2026-10-30 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@a4fd1fdf505facfae26b5654c9eff321f4cbc1a7 · CNA
- 2026-10-30 1 new reference · CNA
References
Other 5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a4fd1fdf505facfae26b5654c9eff321f4cbc1a7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5adad9727a815c26013b0d41cfee92ffa7d4037c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ccc78781041589ea383e61d5d7a1e9a31b210b93
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ee63729760f5b61a66f345c54dc4c7514e62383d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/991f8a79db99b14c48d20d2052c82d65b9186cad
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Sources
- CVE-2025-68809 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-68809 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-ffpf-rf35-3fhq · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2025-68809 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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