GHSA-Q63X-GG9G-Q34F
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-01-13 18:31 – Updated: 2026-01-19 15:30In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
net: nfc: fix deadlock between nfc_unregister_device and rfkill_fop_write
A deadlock can occur between nfc_unregister_device() and rfkill_fop_write() due to lock ordering inversion between device_lock and rfkill_global_mutex.
The problematic lock order is:
Thread A (rfkill_fop_write): rfkill_fop_write() mutex_lock(&rfkill_global_mutex) rfkill_set_block() nfc_rfkill_set_block() nfc_dev_down() device_lock(&dev->dev) <- waits for device_lock
Thread B (nfc_unregister_device): nfc_unregister_device() device_lock(&dev->dev) rfkill_unregister() mutex_lock(&rfkill_global_mutex) <- waits for rfkill_global_mutex
This creates a classic ABBA deadlock scenario.
Fix this by moving rfkill_unregister() and rfkill_destroy() outside the device_lock critical section. Store the rfkill pointer in a local variable before releasing the lock, then call rfkill_unregister() after releasing device_lock.
This change is safe because rfkill_fop_write() holds rfkill_global_mutex while calling the rfkill callbacks, and rfkill_unregister() also acquires rfkill_global_mutex before cleanup. Therefore, rfkill_unregister() will wait for any ongoing callback to complete before proceeding, and device_del() is only called after rfkill_unregister() returns, preventing any use-after-free.
The similar lock ordering in nfc_register_device() (device_lock -> rfkill_global_mutex via rfkill_register) is safe because during registration the device is not yet in rfkill_list, so no concurrent rfkill operations can occur on this device.
{
"affected": [],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2025-71079"
],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [],
"github_reviewed": false,
"github_reviewed_at": null,
"nvd_published_at": "2026-01-13T16:16:07Z",
"severity": null
},
"details": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnet: nfc: fix deadlock between nfc_unregister_device and rfkill_fop_write\n\nA deadlock can occur between nfc_unregister_device() and rfkill_fop_write()\ndue to lock ordering inversion between device_lock and rfkill_global_mutex.\n\nThe problematic lock order is:\n\nThread A (rfkill_fop_write):\n rfkill_fop_write()\n mutex_lock(\u0026rfkill_global_mutex)\n rfkill_set_block()\n nfc_rfkill_set_block()\n nfc_dev_down()\n device_lock(\u0026dev-\u003edev) \u003c- waits for device_lock\n\nThread B (nfc_unregister_device):\n nfc_unregister_device()\n device_lock(\u0026dev-\u003edev)\n rfkill_unregister()\n mutex_lock(\u0026rfkill_global_mutex) \u003c- waits for rfkill_global_mutex\n\nThis creates a classic ABBA deadlock scenario.\n\nFix this by moving rfkill_unregister() and rfkill_destroy() outside the\ndevice_lock critical section. Store the rfkill pointer in a local variable\nbefore releasing the lock, then call rfkill_unregister() after releasing\ndevice_lock.\n\nThis change is safe because rfkill_fop_write() holds rfkill_global_mutex\nwhile calling the rfkill callbacks, and rfkill_unregister() also acquires\nrfkill_global_mutex before cleanup. Therefore, rfkill_unregister() will\nwait for any ongoing callback to complete before proceeding, and\ndevice_del() is only called after rfkill_unregister() returns, preventing\nany use-after-free.\n\nThe similar lock ordering in nfc_register_device() (device_lock -\u003e\nrfkill_global_mutex via rfkill_register) is safe because during\nregistration the device is not yet in rfkill_list, so no concurrent\nrfkill operations can occur on this device.",
"id": "GHSA-q63x-gg9g-q34f",
"modified": "2026-01-19T15:30:36Z",
"published": "2026-01-13T18:31:06Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-71079"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1ab526d97a57e44d26fadcc0e9adeb9c0c0182f5"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e0831e9fc46a06daa6d4d8d57a2738e343130c3"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6b93c8ab6f6cda8818983a4ae3fcf84b023037b4"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8fc4632fb508432895430cd02b38086bdd649083"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e02a1c33f10a0ed3aba855ab8ae2b6c4c5be8012"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ee41f4f3ccf8cd6ba3732e867abbec7e6d8d12e5"
},
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f3a8a7c1aa278f2378b2f3a10500c6674dffdfda"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": []
}
Sightings
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