net: phylink: add lock for serializing concurrent pl->phydev writes with resolver
Currently phylink_resolve() protects itself against concurrent
phylink_bringup_phy() or phylink_disconnect_phy() calls which modify
pl->phydev by relying on pl->state_mutex.
The problem is that in phylink_resolve(), pl->state_mutex is in a lock
inversion state with pl->phydev->lock. So pl->phydev->lock needs to be
acquired prior to pl->state_mutex. But that requires dereferencing
pl->phydev in the first place, and without pl->state_mutex, that is
racy.
Hence the reason for the extra lock. Currently it is redundant, but it
will serve a functional purpose once mutex_lock(&phy->lock) will be
moved outside of the mutex_lock(&pl->state_mutex) section.
Another alternative considered would have been to let phylink_resolve()
acquire the rtnl_mutex, which is also held when phylink_bringup_phy()
and phylink_disconnect_phy() are called. But since phylink_disconnect_phy()
runs under rtnl_lock(), it would deadlock with phylink_resolve() when
calling flush_work(&pl->resolve). Additionally, it would have been
undesirable because it would have unnecessarily blocked many other call
paths as well in the entire kernel, so the smaller-scoped lock was
preferred.
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Wed, 14 Jan 2026 20:15:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
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| Metrics |
ssvc
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Fri, 12 Dec 2025 18:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Weaknesses | CWE-362 | |
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* |
Thu, 02 Oct 2025 12:15:00 +0000
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|---|---|---|
| References |
| |
| Metrics |
threat_severity
|
cvssV3_1
|
Thu, 02 Oct 2025 09:00:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
Wed, 01 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000
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| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: phylink: add lock for serializing concurrent pl->phydev writes with resolver Currently phylink_resolve() protects itself against concurrent phylink_bringup_phy() or phylink_disconnect_phy() calls which modify pl->phydev by relying on pl->state_mutex. The problem is that in phylink_resolve(), pl->state_mutex is in a lock inversion state with pl->phydev->lock. So pl->phydev->lock needs to be acquired prior to pl->state_mutex. But that requires dereferencing pl->phydev in the first place, and without pl->state_mutex, that is racy. Hence the reason for the extra lock. Currently it is redundant, but it will serve a functional purpose once mutex_lock(&phy->lock) will be moved outside of the mutex_lock(&pl->state_mutex) section. Another alternative considered would have been to let phylink_resolve() acquire the rtnl_mutex, which is also held when phylink_bringup_phy() and phylink_disconnect_phy() are called. But since phylink_disconnect_phy() runs under rtnl_lock(), it would deadlock with phylink_resolve() when calling flush_work(&pl->resolve). Additionally, it would have been undesirable because it would have unnecessarily blocked many other call paths as well in the entire kernel, so the smaller-scoped lock was preferred. | |
| Title | net: phylink: add lock for serializing concurrent pl->phydev writes with resolver | |
| References |
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Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-05-11T21:38:40.520Z
Reserved: 2025-04-16T07:20:57.146Z
Link: CVE-2025-39905
Updated: 2026-01-14T19:30:23.666Z
Status : Modified
Published: 2025-10-01T08:15:33.370
Modified: 2026-01-14T20:16:13.190
Link: CVE-2025-39905
OpenCVE Enrichment
Updated: 2025-10-02T08:40:04Z