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VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2025-38338: Linux kernel · fs/nfs/read: fix double-unlock bug in nfs_return_empty_folio()

Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High · fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1 : patch Linux kernel soon.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 14:05 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
7.8High
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 8% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch
Available – fixed in 6.8.0-1046.49~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1047.50~22.04.2 +30
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 10 Jul 2025

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq Mirage: no evidence on record.

    No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

What to do

Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
Ubuntu 25.10linux-azure-fdepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-fde?arch=source&distro=questingOther threatsAffected
  • 6.17.0-1003.3 – 6.17.0-1017.17
10 affected builds
Fixed in–
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • <6.8.0-100.100
Fixed in
  • 6.8.0-100.100
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • <6.8.0-1046.49
Fixed in
  • 6.8.0-1046.49
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-aws-6.14pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws-6.14?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • <6.14.0-1015.15~24.04.1
Fixed in
  • 6.14.0-1015.15~24.04.1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • <6.8.0-1046.52
Fixed in
  • 6.8.0-1046.52
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threatsAffected
  • 6.11.0-1008.8~24.04.1 – 6.11.0-1018.18~24.04.1
7 affected builds
Fixed in–

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

Description

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.

References

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