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🛡️ CVE-2025-38305 — debian-linux

🟡 CVSS 5.5 — Medium ✅ No Known Exploit NVD
5.5
CVSS Score
0 Low4 Medium7 High9 Critical10

Description

ptp: remove ptp->n_vclocks check logic in ptp_vclock_in_use()

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

ptp: remove ptp->n_vclocks check logic in ptp_vclock_in_use()

There is no disagreement that we should check both ptp->is_virtual_clock

and ptp->n_vclocks to check if the ptp virtual clock is in use.

However, when we acquire ptp->n_vclocks_mux to read ptp->n_vclocks in

ptp_vclock_in_use(), we observe a recursive lock in the call trace

starting from n_vclocks_store().

============================================

WARNING: possible recursive locking detected

6.15.0-rc6 #1 Not tainted

--------------------------------------------

syz.0.1540/13807 is trying to acquire lock:

ffff888035a24868 (&ptp->n_vclocks_mux){+.+.}-{4:4}, at:

ptp_vclock_in_use drivers/ptp/ptp_private.h:103 [inline]

ffff888035a24868 (&ptp->n_vclocks_mux){+.+.}-{4:4}, at:

ptp_clock_unregister+0x21/0x250 drivers/ptp/ptp_clock.c:415

but task is already holding lock:

ffff888030704868 (&ptp->n_vclocks_mux){+.+.}-{4:4}, at:

n_vclocks_store+0xf1/0x6d0 drivers/ptp/ptp_sysfs.c:215

other info that might help us debug this:

Possible unsafe locking scenario:

CPU0

----

lock(&ptp->n_vclocks_mux);

lock(&ptp->n_vclocks_mux);

* DEADLOCK *

....

============================================

The best way to solve this is to remove the logic that checks

ptp->n_vclocks in ptp_vclock_in_use().

The reason why this is appropriate is that any path that uses

ptp->n_vclocks must unconditionally check if ptp->n_vclocks is greater

than 0 before unregistering vclocks, and all functions are already

written this way. And in the function that uses ptp->n_vclocks, we

already get ptp->n_vclocks_mux before unregistering vclocks.

Therefore, we need to remove the redundant check for ptp->n_vclocks in

ptp_vclock_in_use() to prevent recursive locking.

How this vulnerability can be exploited

This issue can be reached with local access to the system, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs low-level privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality none, integrity none, availability high.

Affected software

CVE-2025-38305 is recorded against 3 packages.

  • debian-linux
  • kernel (from 6.13.0 up to 6.15.3)
  • linux-kernel

Timeline and source

Published on 10 July 2025 and last revised on 17 June 2026. No public exploit is currently recorded for this entry. A vendor advisory or fix has been published. Record sourced from NVD.

References

git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
git.kernel.org
lists.debian.org

CVE-2025-38305 on other distributions

Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:

Details

Severity MEDIUM
CVSS Score 5.5
CVSS Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CWE N/A
Public Exploit ✅ No
Source NVD
Published 2025-07-10
Updated 2026-08-20
Modified 2026-06-17

Affected Packages

Software From version Fixed in
debian-linux
kernel 6.13.0 6.15.3
linux-kernel

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