# CVE-2025-39881: kernfs: Fix UAF in polling when open file is released

> A use-after-free in the Linux kernel PSI monitoring allows local attackers to potentially execute code or escalate privileges via a race condition.

- **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:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-67637, BELL-CVE-2025-39881, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-39881, GHSA-9jvj-xhwx-w88x, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2025-39881, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-39881

## What is CVE-2025-39881?

CVE-2025-39881 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, 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:

kernfs: Fix UAF in polling when open file is released

A use-after-free (UAF) vulnerability was identified in the PSI (Pressure
Stall Information) monitoring mechanism:

BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in psi_trigger_poll+0x3c/0x140
Read of size 8 at addr ffff3de3d50bd308 by task systemd/1

psi_trigger_poll+0x3c/0x140
cgroup_pressure_poll+0x70/0xa0
cgroup_file_poll+0x8c/0x100
kernfs_fop_poll+0x11c/0x1c0
ep_item_poll.isra.0+0x188/0x2c0

Allocated by task 1:
cgroup_file_open+0x88/0x388
kernfs_fop_open+0x73c/0xaf0
do_dentry_open+0x5fc/0x1200
vfs_open+0xa0/0x3f0
do_open+0x7e8/0xd08
path_openat+0x2fc/0x6b0
do_filp_open+0x174/0x368

Freed by task 8462:
cgroup_file_release+0x130/0x1f8
kernfs_drain_open_files+0x17c/0x440
kernfs_drain+0x2dc/0x360
kernfs_show+0x1b8/0x288
cgroup_file_show+0x150/0x268
cgroup_pressure_write+0x1dc/0x340
cgroup_file_write+0x274/0x548

Reproduction Steps:
1. Open test/cpu.pressure and establish epoll monitoring
2. Disable monitoring: echo 0 > test/cgroup.pressure
3. Re-enable monitoring: echo 1 > test/cgroup.pressure

The race condition occurs because:
1. When cgroup.pressure is disabled (echo 0 > cgroup.pressure), it:
   - Releases PSI triggers via cgroup_file_release()
   - Frees of->priv through kernfs_drain_open_files()
2. While epoll still holds reference to the file and continues polling
3. Re-enabling (echo 1 > cgroup.pressure) accesses freed of->priv

epolling			disable/enable cgroup.pressure
fd=open(cpu.pressure)
while(1)
...
epoll_wait
kernfs_fop_poll
kernfs_get_active = true	echo 0 > cgroup.pressure
...				cgroup_file_show
				kernfs_show
				// inactive kn
				kernfs_drain_open_files
				cft->release(of);
				kfree(ctx);
				...
kernfs_get_active = false
				echo 1 > cgroup.pressure
				kernfs_show
				kernfs_activate_one(kn);
kernfs_fop_poll
kernfs_get_active = true
cgroup_file_poll
psi_trigger_poll
// UAF
...
end: close(fd)

To address this issue, introduce kernfs_get_active_of() for kernfs open
files to obtain active references. This function will fail if the open file
has been released. Replace kernfs_get_active() with kernfs_get_active_of()
to prevent further operations on released file descriptors.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-39881?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-39881?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-39881 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-39881 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-39881 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-39881 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, 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-2025-39881 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2025-39881/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39881/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-39881
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-39881
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-39881

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39881/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.