CVE-2025-39863 — linux / linux_kernel
Use After FreeIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
wifi: brcmfmac: fix use-after-free when rescheduling brcmf_btcoex_info work
The brcmf_btcoex_detach() only shuts down the btcoex timer, if the flag timer_on is false. However, the brcmf_btcoex_timerfunc(), which runs as timer handler, sets timer_on to false. This creates critical race conditions:
1.If brcmf_btcoex_detach() is called while brcmf_btcoex_timerfunc() is executing, it may observe timer_on as false and skip the call to timer_shutdown_sync().
2.The brcmf_btcoex_timerfunc() may then reschedule the brcmf_btcoex_info worker after the cancel_work_sync() has been executed, resulting in use-after-free bugs.
The use-after-free bugs occur in two distinct scenarios, depending on the timing of when the brcmf_btcoex_info struct is freed relative to the execution of its worker thread.
Scenario 1: Freed before the worker is scheduled
The brcmf_btcoex_info is deallocated before the worker is scheduled. A race condition can occur when schedule_work(&bt_local->work) is called after the target memory has been freed. The sequence of events is detailed below:
CPU0 | CPU1 brcmf_btcoex_detach | brcmf_btcoex_timerfunc | bt_local->timer_on = false; if (cfg->btcoex->timer_on) | ... | cancel_work_sync(); | ... | kfree(cfg->btcoex); // FREE | | schedule_work(&bt_local->work); // USE
Scenario 2: Freed after the worker is scheduled
The brcmf_btcoex_info is freed after the worker has been scheduled but before or during its execution. In this case, statements within the brcmf_btcoex_handler() — such as the container_of macro and subsequent dereferences of the brcmf_btcoex_info object will cause a use-after-free access. The following timeline illustrates this scenario:
CPU0 | CPU1 brcmf_btcoex_detach | brcmf_btcoex_timerfunc | bt_local->timer_on = false; if (cfg->btcoex->timer_on) | ... | cancel_work_sync(); | ... | schedule_work(); // Reschedule | kfree(cfg->btcoex); // FREE | brcmf_btcoex_handler() // Worker /* | btci = container_of(....); // USE The kfree() above could | ... also occur at any point | btci-> // USE during the worker's execution| */ |
To resolve the race conditions, drop the conditional check and call timer_shutdown_sync() directly. It can deactivate the timer reliably, regardless of its current state. Once stopped, the timer_on state is then set to false.
| Software | From | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| linux / linux_kernel | 3.10 | 6.6.105 |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.7 | 6.12.46 |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.13 | 6.16.6 |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.17-rc1 | 6.17-rc1.x |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.17-rc2 | 6.17-rc2.x |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.17-rc3 | 6.17-rc3.x |
| linux / linux_kernel | 6.17-rc4 | 6.17-rc4.x |
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2f6fbc8e04ca1d1d5c560be694199f847229c625
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3e789f8475f6c857c88de5c5bf4b24b11a477dd7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9cb83d4be0b9b697eae93d321e0da999f9cdfcfc
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ae58f70bde0433f27ef4b388ab50634736607bf6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c75600e69e66a751cc046cd9c407b942f298d852
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f1150153c4e5940fe49ab51136343c5b4fe49d63
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