Vulnerability · Published Jul 4, 2025 · Assigned by Linux
CVE-2025-38209nvme-tcp: remove tag set when second admin queue config fails
Critical 9.8
In plain English
A critical-severity security flaw in Linux from Linux. There are no confirmed reports of exploitation so far. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.4% (higher than 30% of all known vulnerabilities).
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nvme-tcp: remove tag set when second admin queue config fails Commit 104d0e2f6222 ("nvme-fabrics: reset admin connection for secure concatenation") modified nvme_tcp_setup_ctrl() to call nvme_tcp_configure_admin_queue() twice. The first call prepares for DH-CHAP negotitation, and the second call is required for secure concatenation. However, this change triggered BUG KASAN slab-use-after- free in blk_mq_queue_tag_busy_iter(). This BUG can be recreated by repeating the blktests test case nvme/063 a few times [1]. When the BUG happens, nvme_tcp_create_ctrl() fails in the call chain below: nvme_tcp_create_ctrl() nvme_tcp_alloc_ctrl() new=true ... Alloc nvme_tcp_ctrl and admin_tag_set nvme_tcp_setup_ctrl() new=true nvme_tcp_configure_admin_queue() new=true ... Succeed nvme_alloc_admin_tag_set() ... Alloc the tag set for admin_tag_set nvme_stop_keep_alive() nvme_tcp_teardown_admin_queue() remove=false nvme_tcp_configure_admin_queue() new=false nvme_tcp_alloc_admin_queue() ... Fail, but do not call nvme_remove_admin_tag_set() nvme_uninit_ctrl() nvme_put_ctrl() ... Free up the nvme_tcp_ctrl and admin_tag_set The first call of nvme_tcp_configure_admin_queue() succeeds with new=true argument. The second call fails with new=false argument. This second call does not call nvme_remove_admin_tag_set() on failure, due to the new=false argument. Then the admin tag set is not removed. However, nvme_tcp_create_ctrl() assumes that nvme_tcp_setup_ctrl() would call nvme_remove_admin_tag_set(). Then it frees up struct nvme_tcp_ctrl which has admin_tag_set field. Later on, the timeout handler accesses the admin_tag_set field and causes the BUG KASAN slab-use-after-free. To not leave the admin tag set, call nvme_remove_admin_tag_set() when the second nvme_tcp_configure_admin_queue() call fails. Do not return from nvme_tcp_setup_ctrl() on failure. Instead, jump to "destroy_admin" go-to label to call nvme_tcp_teardown_admin_queue() which calls nvme_remove_admin_tag_set().
Affected packages & fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-allwinner-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-aws-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-gcp-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-intel-iot-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-nvidia-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-5.17 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.0 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.1 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oem-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-oracle-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-realtime | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | linux-riscv | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-riscv-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-5.19 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.2 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | linux-starfive-6.5 | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38209 |