# CVE-2025-38338: fs/nfs/read: fix double-unlock bug in nfs_return_empty_folio()

> A race condition in the Linux kernel NFS client can cause a deadlock, leading to a denial of service when files are read during truncation.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 10 Jul 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-64911, BELL-CVE-2025-38338, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38338, GHSA-3696-vcmq-4g83, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2025-38338, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38338

## What is CVE-2025-38338?

CVE-2025-38338 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 10 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:

fs/nfs/read: fix double-unlock bug in nfs_return_empty_folio()

Sometimes, when a file was read while it was being truncated by
another NFS client, the kernel could deadlock because folio_unlock()
was called twice, and the second call would XOR back the `PG_locked`
flag.

Most of the time (depending on the timing of the truncation), nobody
notices the problem because folio_unlock() gets called three times,
which flips `PG_locked` back off:

 1. vfs_read, nfs_read_folio, ... nfs_read_add_folio,
    nfs_return_empty_folio
 2. vfs_read, nfs_read_folio, ... netfs_read_collection,
    netfs_unlock_abandoned_read_pages
 3. vfs_read, ... nfs_do_read_folio, nfs_read_add_folio,
    nfs_return_empty_folio

The problem is that nfs_read_add_folio() is not supposed to unlock the
folio if fscache is enabled, and a nfs_netfs_folio_unlock() check is
missing in nfs_return_empty_folio().

Rarely this leads to a warning in netfs_read_collection():

 ------------[ cut here ]------------
 R=0000031c: folio 10 is not locked
 WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 29 at fs/netfs/read_collect.c:133 netfs_read_collection+0x7c0/0xf00
 [...]
 Workqueue: events_unbound netfs_read_collection_worker
 RIP: 0010:netfs_read_collection+0x7c0/0xf00
 [...]
 Call Trace:
  <TASK>
  netfs_read_collection_worker+0x67/0x80
  process_one_work+0x12e/0x2c0
  worker_thread+0x295/0x3a0

Most of the time, however, processes just get stuck forever in
folio_wait_bit_common(), waiting for `PG_locked` to disappear, which
never happens because nobody is really holding the folio lock.

Weakness: CWE-415 (Double Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38338?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-38338?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-38338 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38338 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-38338 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-38338 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 10 Jul 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38338 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38338/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38338/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38338
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38338
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-38338

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38338/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.