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

perf/core: Fix system hang caused by cpu-clock usage

cpu-clock usage by the async-profiler tool can trigger a system hang,
which got bisected back to the following commit by Octavia Togami:

18dbcbfabfff ("perf: Fix the POLL_HUP delivery breakage") causes this issue

The root cause of the hang is that cpu-clock is a special type of SW
event which relies on hrtimers. The __perf_event_overflow() callback
is invoked from the hrtimer handler for cpu-clock events, and
__perf_event_overflow() tries to call cpu_clock_event_stop()
to stop the event, which calls htimer_cancel() to cancel the hrtimer.

But that's a recursion into the hrtimer code from a hrtimer handler,
which (unsurprisingly) deadlocks.

To fix this bug, use hrtimer_try_to_cancel() instead, and set
the PERF_HES_STOPPED flag, which causes perf_swevent_hrtimer()
to stop the event once it sees the PERF_HES_STOPPED flag.

[ mingo: Fixed the comments and improved the changelog. ]
Published: 2025-12-09
Score: 7.0 High
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
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8029-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8030-1 Linux kernel (GCP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8029-2 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8048-1 Linux kernel (OEM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8029-3 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
History

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 00:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.0, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate


Tue, 09 Dec 2025 04:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf/core: Fix system hang caused by cpu-clock usage cpu-clock usage by the async-profiler tool can trigger a system hang, which got bisected back to the following commit by Octavia Togami: 18dbcbfabfff ("perf: Fix the POLL_HUP delivery breakage") causes this issue The root cause of the hang is that cpu-clock is a special type of SW event which relies on hrtimers. The __perf_event_overflow() callback is invoked from the hrtimer handler for cpu-clock events, and __perf_event_overflow() tries to call cpu_clock_event_stop() to stop the event, which calls htimer_cancel() to cancel the hrtimer. But that's a recursion into the hrtimer code from a hrtimer handler, which (unsurprisingly) deadlocks. To fix this bug, use hrtimer_try_to_cancel() instead, and set the PERF_HES_STOPPED flag, which causes perf_swevent_hrtimer() to stop the event once it sees the PERF_HES_STOPPED flag. [ mingo: Fixed the comments and improved the changelog. ]
Title perf/core: Fix system hang caused by cpu-clock usage
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-05-11T21:47:13.262Z

Reserved: 2025-04-16T07:20:57.186Z

Link: CVE-2025-40327

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Deferred

Published: 2025-12-09T16:17:42.787

Modified: 2026-04-15T00:35:42.020

Link: CVE-2025-40327

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Moderate

Publid Date: 2025-12-09T00:00:00Z

Links: CVE-2025-40327 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

No weakness.