Vulnerability · Published Nov 12, 2025 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2025-40201kernel/sys.c: fix the racy usage of task_lock(tsk->group_leader) in sys_prlimit64() paths

High 7.8

In plain English

A high-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 0.2% (higher than 4% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS 3.1)7.8High
Exploit odds (30 days)0.2%top 95.6% of all CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo reportsCISA SSVC: none
Attack toolingNoneno public tooling known

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kernel/sys.c: fix the racy usage of task_lock(tsk->group_leader) in sys_prlimit64() paths The usage of task_lock(tsk->group_leader) in sys_prlimit64()->do_prlimit() path is very broken. sys_prlimit64() does get_task_struct(tsk) but this only protects task_struct itself. If tsk != current and tsk is not a leader, this process can exit/exec and task_lock(tsk->group_leader) may use the already freed task_struct. Another problem is that sys_prlimit64() can race with mt-exec which changes ->group_leader. In this case do_prlimit() may take the wrong lock, or (worse) ->group_leader may change between task_lock() and task_unlock(). Change sys_prlimit64() to take tasklist_lock when necessary. This is not nice, but I don't see a better fix for -stable.

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:12linux6.1.158-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-40201
Debian:13linux6.12.57-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-40201
Debian:14linux6.17.6-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux6.8.0-106.106UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:25.10linux6.17.0-14.14UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws6.8.0-1050.53UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:25.10linux-aws6.17.0-1007.7UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.176.17.0-1007.7~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.86.8.0-1050.53~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure6.8.0-1051.57UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:25.10linux-azure6.17.0-1008.8UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.86.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde6.8.0-1058.65UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:25.10linux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.86.8.0-1058.65~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidia-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp6.8.0-1052.55UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:25.10linux-gcp6.17.0-1007.7UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.176.17.0-1008.8~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.86.8.0-1052.55~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gke6.8.0-1048.53UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeop6.8.0-1035.38UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.86.8.0-106.106~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-ibm6.8.0-1049.49UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm-6.86.8.0-1049.49~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency6.8.0-106.106.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.86.8.0-106.106.1~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia6.8.0-1049.52UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.176.17.0-1008.8UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.86.8.0-1049.52~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-lowlatency6.8.0-1049.52.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra6.8.0-1020.20UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.176.17.0-1011.11UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle6.8.0-1047.48UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:25.10linux-oracle6.17.0-1007.7UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.176.17.0-1007.7~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.86.8.0-1047.48~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi6.8.0-1050.54UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:25.10linux-raspi6.17.0-1008.8UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:25.10linux-realtime6.17.0-1006.7UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:25.10linux-riscv6.17.0-14.14.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.86.8.0-106.106~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-xilinx6.8.0-1028.29UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40201

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux 18c91bb2d87268d23868bf13508f5bc9cf04e89a – before 1bc0d9315ef5296abb2c9fd840336255850ded1818c91bb2d87268d23868bf13508f5bc9cf04e89a – before 132f827e7bac7373e1522e89709d70b43cae534218c91bb2d87268d23868bf13508f5bc9cf04e89a – before 19b45c84bd9fd42fa97ff80c6350d604cb871c7518c91bb2d87268d23868bf13508f5bc9cf04e89a – before 6796412decd2d8de8ec708213bbc958fab72f14318c91bb2d87268d23868bf13508f5bc9cf04e89a – before a15f37a40145c986cdf289a4b88390f35efdecc4
Linux Linux 5.18

References