CVE-2025-68809

What the bug is

ksmbd maintains delete-on-close and pending-delete state in ksmbd_inode->m_flags. In vfs_cache.c this field is accessed under inconsistent locking: some paths read and modify m_flags under ci->m_lock while others do so without taking the lock at all. Examples: - ksmbd_query_inode_status() and __ksmbd_inode_close() use ci->m_lock when checking or updating m_flags. - ksmbd_inode_pending_delete(), ksmbd_set_inode_pending_delete(), ksmbd_clear_inode_pending_delete() and ksmbd_fd_set_delete_on_close() used to read and modify m_flags without ci->m_lock. This creates a potential data race on m_flags when multiple threads open, close and delete the same file concurrently. In the worst case delete-on-close and pending-delete bits can be lost or observed in an inconsistent state, leading to confusing delete semantics (files that stay on disk after delete-on-close, or files that disappear while still in use). Fix it by: - Making ksmbd_query_inode_status() look at m_flags under ci->m_lock after dropping inode_hash_lock. - Adding ci->m_lock protection to all helpers that read or modify m_flags (ksmbd_inode_pending_delete(), ksmbd_set_inode_pending_delete(), ksmbd_clear_inode_pending_delete(), ksmbd_fd_set_delete_on_close()). - Keeping the existing ci->m_lock protection in __ksmbd_inode_close(), and moving the actual unlink/xattr removal outside the lock. This unifies the locking around m_flags and removes the data race while preserving the existing delete-on-close behaviour.

Where it lives

The fix touches these files. If the subsystem is one you do not use, the practical exposure is lower, though the package is still the vulnerable one.

fs/smb/server/vfs_cache.c

What this is

KERNEL SMB3 SERVER (KSMBD)MAINTAINERS section matched on fs/smb/server/ · linux-cifs@vger.kernel.org · Maintained

Kernel module

ksmbd

Check it on the machine

grep -wE 'CONFIG_SMBFS|CONFIG_SMB_SERVER' /boot/config-$(uname -r)

Reads the booted kernel's own configuration, on the machine and nowhere else. =y is built in, =m is a module, and an is not set line means the code is not there.

lsmod | grep -w ksmbd

Prints a line if that module is loaded right now, and nothing if it is not. One that is not loaded can still be loaded later by anything that needs it.

Show whether Debian builds this, per release

Debian builds this as a loadable module. Every release below compiles it as a module on every flavour, so whether the code is in the running kernel depends on whether that module is loaded.

• bookworm, trixie, forky, sidm

m

a loadable module on every flavour - check lsmod, can be blacklisted

Build switches

CONFIG_SMBFS, CONFIG_SMB_SERVER

Reads as

all on means the file is compiled; any one off means it is not.

From the configuration Debian publishes for every kernel flavour it builds. It covers only the architectures Debian ships a linux-config package for, and nothing about a kernel you built yourself. Debian's own status above stays authoritative about the source package.MAINTAINERS kbuild Makefiles Debian linux-config packages

Signals

Published

2026-01-13 (9 months ago)source

CVSS

9.1 critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:Hsource recompute it

Attack vector

network (AV:N)source

EPSS

0.53%, higher than 43.4% of all CVEssource

CISA KEV

not listedthe KEV catalogue

Debian urgency

not yet assignedsource

Subsystem

fs/smb

Upstream fixes

The versions the CNA records as introducing and fixing this, and the commit for each. source

Introduced	Fixed in	Commit
5.15	6.6.120	5adad9727a81
5.15	6.12.64	ccc787810415
5.15	6.18.3	ee63729760f5
5.15	6.19	991f8a79db99

Debian advisories