CVE-2025-38231
kernel: nfsd: Initialize ssc before laundromat_work to prevent NULL dereference
Severity
ModerateRed Hat Product Security
CVSS 3.1
Review impact separately from score.
Published · July 4, 2025
Updated · June 30, 2026
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
nfsd: Initialize ssc before laundromat_work to prevent NULL dereference
In nfs4_state_start_net(), laundromat_work may access nfsd_ssc through nfs4_laundromat -> nfsd4_ssc_expire_umount. If nfsd_ssc isn't initialized, this can cause NULL pointer dereference.
Normally the delayed start of laundromat_work allows sufficient time for nfsd_ssc initialization to complete. However, when the kernel waits too long for userspace responses (e.g. in nfs4_state_start_net -> nfsd4_end_grace -> nfsd4_record_grace_done -> nfsd4_cld_grace_done -> cld_pipe_upcall -> __cld_pipe_upcall -> wait_for_completion path), the delayed work may start before nfsd_ssc initialization finishes.
Fix this by moving nfsd_ssc initialization before starting laundromat_work.
CVSS score applicability
The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.
Mitigation
No mitigation is specified in collected source.
CVSS / CWE
CVSS 3.1 · 5.5CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CWE-824 · Access of Uninitialized Pointer