CVE-2025-39874

Published Sep 23, 2025

Last updated 4 days ago

Overview

Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: macsec: sync features on RTM_NEWLINK Syzkaller managed to lock the lower device via ETHTOOL_SFEATURES: netdev_lock include/linux/netdevice.h:2761 [inline] netdev_lock_ops include/net/netdev_lock.h:42 [inline] netdev_sync_lower_features net/core/dev.c:10649 [inline] __netdev_update_features+0xcb1/0x1be0 net/core/dev.c:10819 netdev_update_features+0x6d/0xe0 net/core/dev.c:10876 macsec_notify+0x2f5/0x660 drivers/net/macsec.c:4533 notifier_call_chain+0x1b3/0x3e0 kernel/notifier.c:85 call_netdevice_notifiers_extack net/core/dev.c:2267 [inline] call_netdevice_notifiers net/core/dev.c:2281 [inline] netdev_features_change+0x85/0xc0 net/core/dev.c:1570 __dev_ethtool net/ethtool/ioctl.c:3469 [inline] dev_ethtool+0x1536/0x19b0 net/ethtool/ioctl.c:3502 dev_ioctl+0x392/0x1150 net/core/dev_ioctl.c:759 It happens because lower features are out of sync with the upper: __dev_ethtool (real_dev) netdev_lock_ops(real_dev) ETHTOOL_SFEATURES __netdev_features_change netdev_sync_upper_features disable LRO on the lower if (old_features != dev->features) netdev_features_change fires NETDEV_FEAT_CHANGE macsec_notify NETDEV_FEAT_CHANGE netdev_update_features (for each macsec dev) netdev_sync_lower_features if (upper_features != lower_features) netdev_lock_ops(lower) # lower == real_dev stuck ... netdev_unlock_ops(real_dev) Per commit af5f54b0ef9e ("net: Lock lower level devices when updating features"), we elide the lock/unlock when the upper and lower features are synced. Makes sure the lower (real_dev) has proper features after the macsec link has been created. This makes sure we never hit the situation where we need to sync upper flags to the lower.
Source
416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67
NVD status
Modified
Products
linux_kernel

Risk scores

CVSS 3.1

Type
Primary
Base score
5.5
Impact score
3.6
Exploitability score
1.8
Vector string
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Severity
MEDIUM

Weaknesses

nvd@nist.gov
NVD-CWE-noinfo

Social media

Hype score
Not currently trending

Configurations

  1. In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cgroup: Avoid iteration of dying tasks with zero refcount The commit 260fbcb92bbea ("cgroup: Move dying_tasks cleanup from cgroup_task_release() to cgroup_task_free()") extended the lifetime of tasks on the dying_tasks list. The iterators have provision to go through dying_tasks because of dying threadgroup leaders or explicit CSS_TASK_ITER_WITH_DEAD, however, it was expected that such tasks can obtain a new reference (that is possible before cgroup_task_release()/put_task_struct_rcu_user()). The tasks after cgroup_task_release() and before cgroup_task_free() are subject to race when they may or may not have ->usage count > 0. The race window is between css_task_iter_next() invocations when css_set_lock is released and we may arrive at a new ->task_pos. The iterator should not attempt to resurrect tasks whose ->usage count dropped to zero. (When that happens, __put_task_struct_rcu_cb() is already imminent and the returned task_struct would could be used after free.) As for the fix, we cannot simply check the signal->live count of a task on the dying list because that won't distinguish regular zombies waiting to be reaped from RCU remnant tasks that are going to be free'd. Therefore add an extra check to rule out ->usage==0 tasks from any iteration. The repeat: loop in css_task_iter_advance() doesn't consider ->usage count, so add a new loop to css_task_iter_next() to skip de-used tasks on the dying_list. Rough illustration of the possible race R (reader of cgroup.procs) T (thread) L (group leader) --------------------------------- -------------------------------- -------------------------------- L exits, signal->live > 0 cgroup_task_dead(L) css_set_skip_task_iters() // skips only cset->tasks list_add_tail(&L->cg_list, &cset->dying_tasks) css_task_iter_next() take css_set_lock css_task_iter_advance() leader && signal->live != 0 => it->task_pos = &L->cg_list release css_set_lock T exits --signal->live == 0 cgroup_task_dead(T) // css_set_lock release_task(T) cgroup_task_release(T) release_task(L) // zap_leader cgroup_task_release(L) put_task_struct_rcu_user(L) ...RCU... put_task_struct(L) L->usage = 0 /* L still on dying_tasks */ ...RCU... __put_task_struct(L) css_task_iter_next() // another iteration take css_set_lock it->task_pos = &L->cg_list get_task_struct(L) => addition on 0 drop css_set_lock cgroup_task_free(L) css_set_skip_task_iters() // dying skip comes too late free_task(L) cgroup_procs_show() task_pid_vnr(L)•CVE-2026-98163