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Medium · 5.5 CVE-2023-53419 EUVD-2025-29880GHSA-w2v8-x9hv-74wh

rcu: Protect rcu_print_task_exp_stall() ->exp_tasks access

Published Sep 18, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026 · Assigned by Linux

Vendor: Linux Product: Linux Package: linux Package: linux Package: linux-allwinner-5.19 Package: linux-aws Package: linux-aws-5.0 Package: linux-aws-5.11 Package: linux-aws-5.13 Package: linux-aws-5.15 Package: linux-aws-5.19 Package: linux-aws-5.3 Package: linux-aws-5.8 Package: linux-aws-6.2 Package: linux-aws-6.5 Package: linux-azure Package: linux-azure-5.11 Package: linux-azure-5.13 Package: linux-azure-5.15 Package: linux-azure-5.19 Package: linux-azure-5.3 Package: linux-azure-5.8 Package: linux-azure-6.11 Package: linux-azure-6.2 Package: linux-azure-6.5 Package: linux-azure-edge Package: linux-azure-fde Package: linux-azure-fde-5.19 Package: linux-azure-fde-6.2 Package: linux-bluefield Package: linux-fips Package: linux-gcp Package: linux-gcp-5.11 Package: linux-gcp-5.13 Package: linux-gcp-5.15 Package: linux-gcp-5.19 Package: linux-gcp-5.3 Package: linux-gcp-5.8 Package: linux-gcp-6.11 Package: linux-gcp-6.2 Package: linux-gcp-6.5 Package: linux-gke Package: linux-gke-4.15 Package: linux-gke-5.15 Package: linux-gke-5.4 Package: linux-gkeop Package: linux-gkeop-5.15 Package: linux-gkeop-5.4 Package: linux-hwe Package: linux-hwe-5.11 Package: linux-hwe-5.13 Package: linux-hwe-5.15 Package: linux-hwe-5.19 Package: linux-hwe-5.8 Package: linux-hwe-6.11 Package: linux-hwe-6.2 Package: linux-hwe-6.5 Package: linux-hwe-edge Package: linux-ibm Package: linux-ibm-5.15 Package: linux-intel Package: linux-intel-5.13 Package: linux-intel-iot-realtime Package: linux-intel-iotg Package: linux-intel-iotg-5.15 Package: linux-kvm Package: linux-lowlatency Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 Package: linux-nvidia Package: linux-nvidia-6.2 Package: linux-nvidia-6.5 Package: linux-nvidia-tegra Package: linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 Package: linux-nvidia-tegra-igx Package: linux-oem Package: linux-oem-5.10 Package: linux-oem-5.13 Package: linux-oem-5.14 Package: linux-oem-5.17 Package: linux-oem-5.6 Package: linux-oem-6.0 Package: linux-oem-6.1 Package: linux-oem-6.11 Package: linux-oem-6.5 Package: linux-oem-6.8 Package: linux-oracle Package: linux-oracle-5.0 Package: linux-oracle-5.11 Package: linux-oracle-5.13 Package: linux-oracle-5.15 Package: linux-oracle-5.3 Package: linux-oracle-5.8 Package: linux-oracle-6.5 Package: linux-raspi Package: linux-raspi-realtime Package: linux-raspi2 Package: linux-realtime Package: linux-riscv Package: linux-riscv-5.11 Package: linux-riscv-5.15 Package: linux-riscv-5.19 Package: linux-riscv-5.8 Package: linux-riscv-6.5 Package: linux-starfive-5.19 Package: linux-starfive-6.2 Package: linux-starfive-6.5 Package: linux-vmware Package: linux-xilinx-zynqmp Platform: Linux Ecosystem: Debian Ecosystem: Ubuntu

Description

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

rcu: Protect rcu_print_task_exp_stall() ->exp_tasks access

For kernels built with CONFIG_PREEMPT_RCU=y, the following scenario can
result in a NULL-pointer dereference:

CPU1 CPU2
rcu_preempt_deferred_qs_irqrestore rcu_print_task_exp_stall
if (special.b.blocked) READ_ONCE(rnp->exp_tasks) != NULL
raw_spin_lock_rcu_node
np = rcu_next_node_entry(t, rnp)
if (&t->rcu_node_entry == rnp->exp_tasks)
WRITE_ONCE(rnp->exp_tasks, np)
....
raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore_rcu_node
raw_spin_lock_irqsave_rcu_node
t = list_entry(rnp->exp_tasks->prev,
struct task_struct, rcu_node_entry)
(if rnp->exp_tasks is NULL, this
will dereference a NULL pointer)

The problem is that CPU2 accesses the rcu_node structure's->exp_tasks
field without holding the rcu_node structure's ->lock and CPU2 did
not observe CPU1's change to rcu_node structure's ->exp_tasks in time.
Therefore, if CPU1 sets rcu_node structure's->exp_tasks pointer to NULL,
then CPU2 might dereference that NULL pointer.

This commit therefore holds the rcu_node structure's ->lock while
accessing that structure's->exp_tasks field.

[ paulmck: Apply Frederic Weisbecker feedback. ]

Affected products

VendorProductAffectedFixed
Linux Linux 5.8 5.10.181

Fixed in Linux distributions

Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian 14 linux 6.3.7-1 —
Debian 13 linux 6.3.7-1 —
Debian 12 linux 6.1.37-1 —
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu Nvidia-BlueField 22.04 LTS linux-bluefield 5.15.0-1023.25 —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-intel +9 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux +1 5.15.0-83.92 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-aws 5.15.0-1044.49 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure 5.15.0-1046.53 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure-fde 5.15.0-1046.53.1 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gcp 5.15.0-1041.49 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gke +1 5.15.0-1041.46 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gkeop 5.15.0-1027.32 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-ibm +1 5.15.0-1037.40 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-intel-iotg 5.15.0-1039.45 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-nvidia 5.15.0-1032.32 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra 5.15.0-1017.17 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra-igx 5.15.0-1004.4 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-oracle 5.15.0-1042.48 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-riscv +32 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-xilinx-zynqmp 5.15.0-1025.29 —
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS linux-aws-5.15 5.15.0-1044.49~20.04.1 —
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS linux-azure-5.15 5.15.0-1046.53~20.04.1 —
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS linux-gcp-5.15 5.15.0-1041.49~20.04.1 —
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS linux-gke +28 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS linux-hwe-5.15 +1 5.15.0-83.92~20.04.1 —
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS linux-ibm-5.15 5.15.0-1037.40~20.04.1 —
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS linux-intel-iotg-5.15 5.15.0-1040.46~20.04.1 —
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 5.15.0-1017.17~20.04.1 —
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS linux-oracle-5.15 5.15.0-1042.48~20.04.1 —
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS linux-riscv-5.15 5.15.0-1040.44~20.04.3 —
Ubuntu 18.04 LTS linux-gcp +14 No fix yet —
Show 3 more (older releases, extended support, other products)
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS linux-hwe-edge No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS linux-intel-iot-realtime 5.15.0-1038.40 —
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS linux-realtime 5.15.0-1045.50 —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-preview 22.04 LTS linux-fips No fix yet —

Amazon Linux

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Amazon Linux 2023 kernel-livepatch-6.1.34-56.100 1.0-0.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2023-228
Amazon Linux 2023 perf +12 6.1.34-56.100.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2023-228

Advisories 2

References