CVE-2025-38151 RDMA/cma: Fix hang when cma_netevent_callback fails to queue_work
A flaw in the Linux kernel RDMA subsystem causes a hang and zombie processes when work queueing fails, requiring a patch to restore stability.
- 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-2025-38151?
CVE-2025-38151 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 3 Jul 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:
RDMA/cma: Fix hang when cma_netevent_callback fails to queue_work
The cited commit fixed a crash when cma_netevent_callback was called for a cma_id while work on that id from a previous call had not yet started. The work item was re-initialized in the second call, which corrupted the work item currently in the work queue.
However, it left a problem when queue_work fails (because the item is still pending in the work queue from a previous call). In this case, cma_id_put (which is called in the work handler) is therefore not called. This results in a userspace process hang (zombie process).
Fix this by calling cma_id_put() if queue_work fails.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38151?
It affects 2 products.
Products include Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2025-38151?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade, then put limits on request size, rate and nesting depth so one client cannot exhaust the service. More about Denial of service.
Is CVE-2025-38151 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38151 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2025-38151, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38151, GHSA-cf9r-5584-2473, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2025-38151, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38151.