Vulnerability · Published Nov 24, 2025 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2025-40212nfsd: fix refcount leak in nfsd_set_fh_dentry()

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 37% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS 3.1)9.8Critical
Exploit odds (30 days)0.4%top 62.6% of all CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo reportsnot in CISA KEV
Attack toolingNoneno public tooling known

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfsd: fix refcount leak in nfsd_set_fh_dentry() nfsd exports a "pseudo root filesystem" which is used by NFSv4 to find the various exported filesystems using LOOKUP requests from a known root filehandle. NFSv3 uses the MOUNT protocol to find those exported filesystems and so is not given access to the pseudo root filesystem. If a v3 (or v2) client uses a filehandle from that filesystem, nfsd_set_fh_dentry() will report an error, but still stores the export in "struct svc_fh" even though it also drops the reference (exp_put()). This means that when fh_put() is called an extra reference will be dropped which can lead to use-after-free and possible denial of service. Normal NFS usage will not provide a pseudo-root filehandle to a v3 client. This bug can only be triggered by the client synthesising an incorrect filehandle. To fix this we move the assignments to the svc_fh later, after all possible error cases have been detected.

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:13linux6.12.63-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-40212
Debian:14linux6.17.9-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:25.10linux6.17.0-14.14UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:25.10linux-aws6.17.0-1007.7UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.176.17.0-1007.7~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:25.10linux-azure6.17.0-1008.8UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:25.10linux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidia-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:25.10linux-gcp6.17.0-1007.7UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.176.17.0-1008.8~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.176.17.0-1008.8UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.176.17.0-1011.11UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:25.10linux-oracle6.17.0-1007.7UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.176.17.0-1007.7~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:25.10linux-raspi6.17.0-1008.8UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:25.10linux-realtime6.17.0-1006.7UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:25.10linux-riscv6.17.0-14.14.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40212

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux ef7f6c4904d03ccd7478e1ac20ed75f79c4ac444 – before b6bc86ce3944b10b9fc181fc00c1a520a20ed965ef7f6c4904d03ccd7478e1ac20ed75f79c4ac444 – before c83d7365cec5eb5ebeeee2a72e29b4ca58a7e4c2ef7f6c4904d03ccd7478e1ac20ed75f79c4ac444 – before 8a7348a9ed70bda1c1f51d3f1815bcbdf9f3b38c
Linux Linux 6.12

References