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CVE-2025-38711 Not scored

smb/server: avoid deadlock when linking with ReplaceIfExists

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb/server: avoid deadlock when linking with ReplaceIfExists If smb2_create_link() is called with ReplaceIfExists set and the name does exist then a deadlock will happen. ksmbd_vfs_kern_path_locked() will return with success and the parent directory will be locked. ksmbd_vfs_remove_file() will then remove the file. ksmbd_vfs_link() will then be called while the parent is still locked. It will try to lock the same parent and will deadlock. This patch moves the ksmbd_vfs_kern_path_unlock() call to *before* ksmbd_vfs_link() and then simplifies the code, removing the file_present flag variable.

Exploit probability 0.1%
Published September 4, 2025
Required by Not available
Last source change August 12, 2026

02 / AFFECTED SOFTWARE

Affected packages

Linux Kernel
Unknown Unknown

04 / EVIDENCE

Source records

Open Source Vulnerabilities CVE-2025-38711

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb/server: avoid deadlock when linking with ReplaceIfExists If smb2_create_link() is called with ReplaceIfExists set and the name does exist then a deadlock will happen. ksmbd_vfs_kern_path_locked() will return with success and the parent directory will be locked. ksmbd_vfs_remove_file() will then remove the file. ksmbd_vfs_link() will then be called while the parent is still locked. It will try to lock the same parent and will deadlock. This patch moves the ksmbd_vfs_kern_path_unlock() call to *before* ksmbd_vfs_link() and then simplifies the code, removing the file_present flag variable.

View original source

05 / REFERENCES

Further evidence