CVE-2025-39744

HIGH

Linux Kernel - Denial of Service via RCU Read Unlock Deadlock

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: rcu: Fix rcu_read_unlock() deadloop due to IRQ work During rcu_read_unlock_special(), if this happens during irq_exit(), we can lockup if an IPI is issued. This is because the IPI itself triggers the irq_exit() path causing a recursive lock up. This is precisely what Xiongfeng found when invoking a BPF program on the trace_tick_stop() tracepoint As shown in the trace below. Fix by managing the irq_work state correctly. irq_exit() __irq_exit_rcu() /* in_hardirq() returns false after this */ preempt_count_sub(HARDIRQ_OFFSET) tick_irq_exit() tick_nohz_irq_exit() tick_nohz_stop_sched_tick() trace_tick_stop() /* a bpf prog is hooked on this trace point */ __bpf_trace_tick_stop() bpf_trace_run2() rcu_read_unlock_special() /* will send a IPI to itself */ irq_work_queue_on(&rdp->defer_qs_iw, rdp->cpu); A simple reproducer can also be obtained by doing the following in tick_irq_exit(). It will hang on boot without the patch: static inline void tick_irq_exit(void) { + rcu_read_lock(); + WRITE_ONCE(current->rcu_read_unlock_special.b.need_qs, true); + rcu_read_unlock(); + [neeraj: Apply Frederic's suggested fix for PREEMPT_RT]

Scores

CVSS v3 7.1
EPSS 0.0015
EPSS Percentile 4.4%
Attack Vector LOCAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H

Details

CWE
CWE-125
Status published
Products (17)
linux/Kernel 5.3.0 - 6.6.103linux
linux/Kernel 6.13.0 - 6.15.11linux
linux/Kernel 6.16.0 - 6.16.2linux
linux/Kernel 6.7.0 - 6.12.43linux
Linux/Linux < 5.3
Linux/Linux 0864f057b050bc6dd68106b3185e02db5140012d - 1cfa244f7198d325594e627574930b7b91df5bfe
Linux/Linux 0864f057b050bc6dd68106b3185e02db5140012d - 56c5ef194f4509df63fc0f7a91ea5973ce479b1e
Linux/Linux 0864f057b050bc6dd68106b3185e02db5140012d - b41642c87716bbd09797b1e4ea7d904f06c39b7b
Linux/Linux 0864f057b050bc6dd68106b3185e02db5140012d - ddebb2a7677673cf4438a04e1a48b8ed6b0c8e9a
Linux/Linux 0864f057b050bc6dd68106b3185e02db5140012d - e7a375453cca2b8a0d2fa1b82b913f3fed7c0507
... and 7 more
Published Sep 11, 2025
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026