CVE-2025-22030 mm: zswap: fix crypto_free_acomp() deadlock in zswap_cpu_comp_dead()
A deadlock in the Linux kernel zswap subsystem can cause a denial of service when CPU offline events coincide with memory allocation during crypto operations.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2025-22030?
CVE-2025-22030 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 16 Apr 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
mm: zswap: fix crypto_free_acomp() deadlock in zswap_cpu_comp_dead()
Currently, zswap_cpu_comp_dead() calls crypto_free_acomp() while holding the per-CPU acomp_ctx mutex. crypto_free_acomp() then holds scomp_lock (through crypto_exit_scomp_ops_async()).
On the other hand, crypto_alloc_acomp_node() holds the scomp_lock (through crypto_scomp_init_tfm()), and then allocates memory. If the allocation results in reclaim, we may attempt to hold the per-CPU acomp_ctx mutex.
The above dependencies can cause an ABBA deadlock. For example in the following scenario:
(1) Task A running on CPU #1: crypto_alloc_acomp_node() Holds scomp_lock Enters reclaim Reads per_cpu_ptr(pool->acomp_ctx, 1)
(2) Task A is descheduled
(3) CPU #1 goes offline zswap_cpu_comp_dead(CPU #1) Holds per_cpu_ptr(pool->acomp_ctx, 1)) Calls crypto_free_acomp() Waits for scomp_lock
(4) Task A running on CPU #2: Waits for per_cpu_ptr(pool->acomp_ctx, 1) // Read on CPU #1 DEADLOCK
Since there is no requirement to call crypto_free_acomp() with the per-CPU acomp_ctx mutex held in zswap_cpu_comp_dead(), move it after the mutex is unlocked. Also move the acomp_request_free() and kfree() calls for consistency and to avoid any potential sublte locking dependencies in the future.
With this, only setting acomp_ctx fields to NULL occurs with the mutex held. This is similar to how zswap_cpu_comp_prepare() only initializes acomp_ctx fields with the mutex held, after performing all allocations before holding the mutex.
Opportunistically, move the NULL check on acomp_ctx so that it takes place before the mutex dereference.
Weakness: CWE-667
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-22030?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2025-22030?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Is CVE-2025-22030 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-22030 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2025-22030, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-22030, GHSA-7m6p-mvhj-8v99, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-22030.