Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

kernfs: Relax constraint in draining guard

The active reference lifecycle provides the break/unbreak mechanism but
the active reference is not truly active after unbreak -- callers don't
use it afterwards but it's important for proper pairing of kn->active
counting. Assuming this mechanism is in place, the WARN check in
kernfs_should_drain_open_files() is too sensitive -- it may transiently
catch those (rightful) callers between
kernfs_unbreak_active_protection() and kernfs_put_active() as found out by Chen
Ridong:

kernfs_remove_by_name_ns kernfs_get_active // active=1
__kernfs_remove // active=0x80000002
kernfs_drain ...
wait_event
//waiting (active == 0x80000001)
kernfs_break_active_protection
// active = 0x80000001
// continue
kernfs_unbreak_active_protection
// active = 0x80000002
...
kernfs_should_drain_open_files
// warning occurs
kernfs_put_active

To avoid the false positives (mind panic_on_warn) remove the check altogether.
(This is meant as quick fix, I think active reference break/unbreak may be
simplified with larger rework.)
Published: 2025-07-10
Score: 5.5 Medium
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

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Tracking

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Advisories
Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4328-1 linux-6.1 security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-5973-1 linux security update
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2025-20966 In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kernfs: Relax constraint in draining guard The active reference lifecycle provides the break/unbreak mechanism but the active reference is not truly active after unbreak -- callers don't use it afterwards but it's important for proper pairing of kn->active counting. Assuming this mechanism is in place, the WARN check in kernfs_should_drain_open_files() is too sensitive -- it may transiently catch those (rightful) callers between kernfs_unbreak_active_protection() and kernfs_put_active() as found out by Chen Ridong: kernfs_remove_by_name_ns kernfs_get_active // active=1 __kernfs_remove // active=0x80000002 kernfs_drain ... wait_event //waiting (active == 0x80000001) kernfs_break_active_protection // active = 0x80000001 // continue kernfs_unbreak_active_protection // active = 0x80000002 ... kernfs_should_drain_open_files // warning occurs kernfs_put_active To avoid the false positives (mind panic_on_warn) remove the check altogether. (This is meant as quick fix, I think active reference break/unbreak may be simplified with larger rework.)
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7769-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7769-2 Linux kernel (Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7769-3 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7770-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7771-1 Linux kernel (OEM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7789-1 Linux kernel (Oracle) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7789-2 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8028-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8028-2 Linux kernel (Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8031-1 Linux kernel (GCP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8028-3 Linux kernel (Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8028-4 Linux kernel (FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8028-5 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8031-2 Linux kernel (GCP FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8028-6 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8031-3 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8052-1 Linux kernel (Low Latency) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8028-7 Linux kernel (Low Latency NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8028-8 Linux kernel (IBM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8052-2 Linux kernel (Xilinx) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8074-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8074-2 Linux kernel (Azure FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8126-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
History

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Debian
Debian debian Linux
Weaknesses NVD-CWE-noinfo
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Debian
Debian debian Linux

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 18:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 13:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics epss

{'score': 0.00018}

epss

{'score': 0.00024}


Fri, 11 Jul 2025 12:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate


Thu, 10 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kernfs: Relax constraint in draining guard The active reference lifecycle provides the break/unbreak mechanism but the active reference is not truly active after unbreak -- callers don't use it afterwards but it's important for proper pairing of kn->active counting. Assuming this mechanism is in place, the WARN check in kernfs_should_drain_open_files() is too sensitive -- it may transiently catch those (rightful) callers between kernfs_unbreak_active_protection() and kernfs_put_active() as found out by Chen Ridong: kernfs_remove_by_name_ns kernfs_get_active // active=1 __kernfs_remove // active=0x80000002 kernfs_drain ... wait_event //waiting (active == 0x80000001) kernfs_break_active_protection // active = 0x80000001 // continue kernfs_unbreak_active_protection // active = 0x80000002 ... kernfs_should_drain_open_files // warning occurs kernfs_put_active To avoid the false positives (mind panic_on_warn) remove the check altogether. (This is meant as quick fix, I think active reference break/unbreak may be simplified with larger rework.)
Title kernfs: Relax constraint in draining guard
References

Subscriptions

Debian Debian Linux
Linux Linux Kernel
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-05-11T21:24:51.633Z

Reserved: 2025-04-16T04:51:24.000Z

Link: CVE-2025-38282

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2025-07-10T08:15:26.610

Modified: 2025-12-18T16:50:33.577

Link: CVE-2025-38282

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2025-07-10T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2025-38282 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2025-07-13T11:06:33Z

Weaknesses