# CVE-2025-39871: dmaengine: idxd: Remove improper idxd_free

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel idxd driver allows attackers to cause memory corruption or system crashes during module unload.

- **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:** 23 Sep 2025
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2025-39871, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-39871, GHSA-frjr-mhww-g3pw, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2025-39871, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-39871

## What is CVE-2025-39871?

CVE-2025-39871 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 23 Sep 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:

dmaengine: idxd: Remove improper idxd_free

The call to idxd_free() introduces a duplicate put_device() leading to a
reference count underflow:
refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free.
WARNING: CPU: 15 PID: 4428 at lib/refcount.c:28 refcount_warn_saturate+0xbe/0x110
...
Call Trace:
 <TASK>
  idxd_remove+0xe4/0x120 [idxd]
  pci_device_remove+0x3f/0xb0
  device_release_driver_internal+0x197/0x200
  driver_detach+0x48/0x90
  bus_remove_driver+0x74/0xf0
  pci_unregister_driver+0x2e/0xb0
  idxd_exit_module+0x34/0x7a0 [idxd]
  __do_sys_delete_module.constprop.0+0x183/0x280
  do_syscall_64+0x54/0xd70
  entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e

The idxd_unregister_devices() which is invoked at the very beginning of
idxd_remove(), already takes care of the necessary put_device() through the
following call path:
idxd_unregister_devices() -> device_unregister() -> put_device()

In addition, when CONFIG_DEBUG_KOBJECT_RELEASE is enabled, put_device() may
trigger asynchronous cleanup via schedule_delayed_work(). If idxd_free() is
called immediately after, it can result in a use-after-free.

Remove the improper idxd_free() to avoid both the refcount underflow and
potential memory corruption during module unload.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-39871?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-39871?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-39871 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-39871 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-2025-39871 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-39871 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 23 Sep 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-2025-39871 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-2025-39871/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39871/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-39871
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-39871
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-39871

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39871/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.