Bug 2376368 (CVE-2025-38231)

Summary: CVE-2025-38231 kernel: nfsd: Initialize ssc before laundromat_work to prevent NULL dereference
Product: [Other] Security Response Reporter: OSIDB Bzimport <bzimport>
Component: vulnerabilityAssignee: Product Security DevOps Team <prodsec-dev>
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Version: unspecifiedKeywords: Security
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OS: Linux   
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Description OSIDB Bzimport 2025-07-04 14:01:55 UTC 
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

nfsd: Initialize ssc before laundromat_work to prevent NULL dereference

In nfs4_state_start_net(), laundromat_work may access nfsd_ssc through
nfs4_laundromat -> nfsd4_ssc_expire_umount. If nfsd_ssc isn't initialized,
this can cause NULL pointer dereference.

Normally the delayed start of laundromat_work allows sufficient time for
nfsd_ssc initialization to complete. However, when the kernel waits too
long for userspace responses (e.g. in nfs4_state_start_net ->
nfsd4_end_grace -> nfsd4_record_grace_done -> nfsd4_cld_grace_done ->
cld_pipe_upcall -> __cld_pipe_upcall -> wait_for_completion path), the
delayed work may start before nfsd_ssc initialization finishes.

Fix this by moving nfsd_ssc initialization before starting laundromat_work.
Comment 1 Mauro Matteo Cascella 2025-07-04 17:44:40 UTC 
Upstream advisory:
https://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/2025070429-CVE-2025-38231-c61c@gregkh/T