In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
null_blk: fix poll request timeout handling
When doing io_uring benchmark on /dev/nullb0, it's easy to crash the kernel if poll requests timeout triggered, as reported by David. [1]
BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000008 Workqueue: kblockd blk_mq_timeout_work RIP: 0010:null_timeout_rq+0x4e/0x91 Call Trace: ? null_timeout_rq+0x4e/0x91 blk_mq_handle_expired+0x31/0x4b bt_iter+0x68/0x84 ? bt_tags_iter+0x81/0x81 __sbitmap_for_each_set.constprop.0+0xb0/0xf2 ? __blk_mq_complete_request_remote+0xf/0xf bt_for_each+0x46/0x64 ? __blk_mq_complete_request_remote+0xf/0xf ? percpu_ref_get_many+0xc/0x2a blk_mq_queue_tag_busy_iter+0x14d/0x18e blk_mq_timeout_work+0x95/0x127 process_one_work+0x185/0x263 worker_thread+0x1b5/0x227
This is indeed a race problem between null_timeout_rq() and null_poll().
null_poll() null_timeout_rq() spin_lock(&nq->poll_lock) list_splice_init(&nq->poll_list, &list) spin_unlock(&nq->poll_lock)
while (!list_empty(&list)) req = list_first_entry() list_del_init() ... blk_mq_add_to_batch() // req->rq_next = NULL spin_lock(&nq->poll_lock)
// rq->queuelist->next == NULL list_del_init(&rq->queuelist)
spin_unlock(&nq->poll_lock)
Fix these problems by setting requests state to MQ_RQ_COMPLETE under nq->poll_lock protection, in which null_timeout_rq() can safely detect this race and early return.
Note this patch just fix the kernel panic when request timeout happen.
[1] https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/
CVSS Details
- CVSS 3.1 Base Score: 7.8
- CVSS 3.1 Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H)
Covered by Rapid7
| Product | Vendor Advisory | Solution File | Added | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon_linux_2023 | — | Upgrade kernel-libbpf-develUpgrade kernel-libbpf-staticUpgrade perfUpgrade kernel-develUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64Upgrade kernel-toolsUpgrade python3-perf-debuginfoUpgrade bpftoolUpgrade kernel-debuginfoUpgrade kernelUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade kernel-tools-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-libbpfUpgrade python3-perfUpgrade kernel-livepatch-6.1.55-75.123Upgrade kernel-tools-develUpgrade bpftool-debuginfoUpgrade perf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-headers | Oct 16, 2025 | Oct 1, 2025 |
| Debian | — | Upgrade linux | Oct 3, 2025 | Oct 3, 2025 |
| Redhat_linux | — | Upgrade kernelNo solution existsUpgrade kernel-rt | Nov 14, 2025 | Oct 1, 2025 |
Prioritise with Active Threat Intelligence
With curated Threat Intelligence, you can see which vulnerabilities truly put you at risk, prioritize what matters most, and act before attackers do.
Explore Intelligence Hub