# CVE-2025-38411: netfs: Fix double put of request

> A double put of a request in the Linux kernel netfs subsystem can lead to use-after-free, potentially causing denial of service or code execution.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Jul 2025
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-c3c4-j5v2-q687, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38411

## What is CVE-2025-38411?

CVE-2025-38411 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 25 Jul 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

netfs: Fix double put of request

If a netfs request finishes during the pause loop, it will have the ref
that belongs to the IN_PROGRESS flag removed at that point - however, if it
then goes to the final wait loop, that will *also* put the ref because it
sees that the IN_PROGRESS flag is clear and incorrectly assumes that this
happened when it called the collector.

In fact, since IN_PROGRESS is clear, we shouldn't call the collector again
since it's done all the cleanup, such as calling ->ki_complete().

Fix this by making netfs_collect_in_app() just return, indicating that
we're done if IN_PROGRESS is removed.

Weakness: CWE-415 (Double Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38411?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-38411?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-38411 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38411 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-2025-38411 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-38411 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 25 Jul 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38411 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-2025-38411/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38411/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38411
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38411
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-38411

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38411/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.