CVE-2025-40231

Local system hang via vsock lock inversion

Published Dec 4, 2025 · Updated May 23, 2026

A deadlock in the Linux kernel's vsock transport assignment allows local users to hang the system through concurrent AF_VSOCK activity. vsock_assign_transport() holds vsock_register_mutex while transport->release() can enter vsock_linger(), whose wait releases and reacquires sk_lock, allowing an opposing lock order to form a circular dependency. Low-privileged local access and overlapping transport reassignment are required; the demonstrated consequence is an availability-only system hang.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A deadlock in the Linux kernel's vsock transport assignment allows local users to hang the system through concurrent AF_VSOCK activity. vsock_assign_transport() holds vsock_register_mutex while transport->release() can enter vsock_linger(), whose wait releases and reacquires sk_lock, allowing an opposing lock order to form a circular dependency. Low-privileged local access and overlapping transport reassignment are required; the demonstrated consequence is an availability-only system hang.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-40231
Published
Dec 4, 2025
Updated
May 23, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 4, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 23, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=36a439049b34cca0b3661276049b84a1f76cc21a <09bba278ccde25a14b6e5088a9e65a8717d0cccf
  2. Affected versionversion=5.10.240 <5.10.246
  3. Affected versionversion=5.15.189 <5.15.196
  4. Affected versionversion=6.1.146 <6.1.158
  5. Affected versionversion=6.12.39 <6.12.56
  6. Affected versionversion=6.15.7 <6.16
  7. Affected versionversion=6.16
  8. Affected versionversion=6.6.99 <6.6.115
  9. Affected versionversion=687aa0c5581b8d4aa87fd92973e4ee576b550cdf <a2a4346eea8b4cb75037dbcb20b98cb454324f80
  10. Affected versionversion=687aa0c5581b8d4aa87fd92973e4ee576b550cdf <f7c877e7535260cc7a21484c994e8ce7e8cb6780
  11. Affected versionversion=7b73bddf54777fb62d4d8c7729d0affe6df04477
  12. Affected versionversion=8667e8d0eb46bc54fdae30ba2f4786407d3d88eb <ce4f856c64f0bc30e29302a0ce41f4295ca391c5
  13. Affected versionversion=9ce53e744f18e73059d3124070e960f3aa9902bf <b44182c116778feaa05da52a426aeb9da1878dcf
  14. Affected versionversion=9d24bb6780282b0255b9929abe5e8f98007e2c6e <42ed0784d11adebf748711e503af0eb9f1e6d81d
  15. Affected versionversion=ae2c712ba39c7007de63cb0c75b51ce1caaf1da5 <251caee792a21eb0b781aab91362b422c945e162

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=36a439049b34cca0b3661276049b84a1f76cc21a <09bba278ccde25a14b6e5088a9e65a8717d0cccf; version=5.10.240 <5.10.246; version=5.15.189 <5.15.196; version=6.1.146 <6.1.158; version=6.12.39 <6.12.56; version=6.15.7 <6.16; version=6.16; version=6.6.99 <6.6.115; version=687aa0c5581b8d4aa87fd92973e4ee576b550cdf <a2a4346eea8b4cb75037dbcb20b98cb454324f80; version=687aa0c5581b8d4aa87fd92973e4ee576b550cdf <f7c877e7535260cc7a21484c994e8ce7e8cb6780; version=7b73bddf54777fb62d4d8c7729d0affe6df04477; version=8667e8d0eb46bc54fdae30ba2f4786407d3d88eb <ce4f856c64f0bc30e29302a0ce41f4295ca391c5; version=9ce53e744f18e73059d3124070e960f3aa9902bf <b44182c116778feaa05da52a426aeb9da1878dcf; version=9d24bb6780282b0255b9929abe5e8f98007e2c6e <42ed0784d11adebf748711e503af0eb9f1e6d81d; version=ae2c712ba39c7007de63cb0c75b51ce1caaf1da5 <251caee792a21eb0b781aab91362b422c945e162

Published CVSS scores

5.5Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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