CVE-2025-68178

Block-operation hang via inverted blk-cgroup lock ordering

Published Dec 16, 2025 · Updated Dec 16, 2025

Improper locking in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to hang block operations via concurrent policy and device changes. blkg_conf_prep calls blk_queue_enter while holding rq_qos_mutex, reversing the freeze-before-mutex order used by queue removal and creating a cycle through sysfs_lock and q_usage_counter. Low-privilege local access to cgroup policy writes and concurrent device removal is required; the reported consequence is an availability-only deadlock.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper locking in affected Linux kernel releases allows local users to hang block operations via concurrent policy and device changes. blkg_conf_prep calls blk_queue_enter while holding rq_qos_mutex, reversing the freeze-before-mutex order used by queue removal and creating a cycle through sysfs_lock and q_usage_counter. Low-privilege local access to cgroup policy writes and concurrent device removal is required; the reported consequence is an availability-only deadlock.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-68178
Published
Dec 16, 2025
Updated
Dec 16, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 16, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 16, 2025Record 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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <0585b24d71197dd9ee8cf79c168a31628c631960
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <56ac639d6fa6fbb99caee74ee1c7276fc9bb47ed
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5d726c4dbeeddef612e6bed27edd29733f4d13af
  4. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e1729523759cda2c0afb76b1c88e0d2f2ef5b7cb

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <0585b24d71197dd9ee8cf79c168a31628c631960; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <56ac639d6fa6fbb99caee74ee1c7276fc9bb47ed; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5d726c4dbeeddef612e6bed27edd29733f4d13af; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e1729523759cda2c0afb76b1c88e0d2f2ef5b7cb

Published CVSS scores

5.5OracleCVSS: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

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

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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