CVE-2025-38268

MEDIUM
Published Jul 10, 2025 Modified Nov 20, 2025 CWE-667

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: typec: tcpm: move tcpm_queue_vdm_unlocked to asynchronous work A state check was previously added to tcpm_queue_vdm_unlocked to prevent a deadlock where the DisplayPort Alt Mode driver would be executing work and attempting to grab the tcpm_lock while the TCPM was holding the lock and attempting to unregister the altmode, blocking on the altmode driver's cancel_work_sync call. Because the state check isn't protected, there is a small window where the Alt Mode driver could determine that the TCPM is in a ready state and attempt to grab the lock while the TCPM grabs the lock and changes the TCPM state to one that causes the deadlock. The callstack is provided below: [110121.667392][ C7] Call trace: [110121.667396][ C7] __switch_to+0x174/0x338 [110121.667406][ C7] __schedule+0x608/0x9f0 [110121.667414][ C7] schedule+0x7c/0xe8 [110121.667423][ C7] kernfs_drain+0xb0/0x114 [110121.667431][ C7] __kernfs_remove+0x16c/0x20c [110121.667436][ C7] kernfs_remove_by_name_ns+0x74/0xe8 [110121.667442][ C7] sysfs_remove_group+0x84/0xe8 [110121.667450][ C7] sysfs_remove_groups+0x34/0x58 [110121.667458][ C7] device_remove_groups+0x10/0x20 [110121.667464][ C7] device_release_driver_internal+0x164/0x2e4 [110121.667475][ C7] device_release_driver+0x18/0x28 [110121.667484][ C7] bus_remove_device+0xec/0x118 [110121.667491][ C7] device_del+0x1e8/0x4ac [110121.667498][ C7] device_unregister+0x18/0x38 [110121.667504][ C7] typec_unregister_altmode+0x30/0x44 [110121.667515][ C7] tcpm_reset_port+0xac/0x370 [110121.667523][ C7] tcpm_snk_detach+0x84/0xb8 [110121.667529][ C7] run_state_machine+0x4c0/0x1b68 [110121.667536][ C7] tcpm_state_machine_work+0x94/0xe4 [110121.667544][ C7] kthread_worker_fn+0x10c/0x244 [110121.667552][ C7] kthread+0x104/0x1d4 [110121.667557][ C7] ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20 [110121.667689][ C7] Workqueue: events dp_altmode_work [110121.667697][ C7] Call trace: [110121.667701][ C7] __switch_to+0x174/0x338 [110121.667710][ C7] __schedule+0x608/0x9f0 [110121.667717][ C7] schedule+0x7c/0xe8 [110121.667725][ C7] schedule_preempt_disabled+0x24/0x40 [110121.667733][ C7] __mutex_lock+0x408/0xdac [110121.667741][ C7] __mutex_lock_slowpath+0x14/0x24 [110121.667748][ C7] mutex_lock+0x40/0xec [110121.667757][ C7] tcpm_altmode_enter+0x78/0xb4 [110121.667764][ C7] typec_altmode_enter+0xdc/0x10c [110121.667769][ C7] dp_altmode_work+0x68/0x164 [110121.667775][ C7] process_one_work+0x1e4/0x43c [110121.667783][ C7] worker_thread+0x25c/0x430 [110121.667789][ C7] kthread+0x104/0x1d4 [110121.667794][ C7] ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20 Change tcpm_queue_vdm_unlocked to queue for tcpm_queue_vdm_work, which can perform the state check while holding the TCPM lock while the Alt Mode lock is no longer held. This requires a new struct to hold the vdm data, altmode_vdm_event.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

5.5
MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-667 CWE-667

Affected Products

Vendor Product
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel
linux linux_kernel

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-38268? +
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: usb: typec: tcpm: move tcpm_queue_vdm_unlocked to asynchronous work A state check was previously added to tcpm_queue_vdm_unlocked to prevent a deadlock where the DisplayPort Alt Mode driver would be executing work and attempting to grab the tcpm_lock while the TCPM was holding the lock and attempting to unregister the altmode, blocking on the altmode driver's cancel_work_sync call. Because the state check isn't protected, there is a small window where the Alt Mode driver could determine that the TCPM is in a ready state and attempt to grab the lock while the TCPM grabs the lock and changes the TCPM state to one that causes the deadlock. The callstack is provided below: [110121.667392][ C7] Call trace: [110121.667396][ C7] __switch_to+0x174/0x338 [110121.667406][ C7] __schedule+0x608/0x9f0 [110121.667414][ C7] schedule+0x7c/0xe8 [110121.667423][ C7] kernfs_drain+0xb0/0x114 [110121.667431][ C7] __kernfs_remove+0x16c/0x20c [110121.667436][ C7] kernfs_remove_by_name_ns+0x74/0xe8 [110121.667442][ C7] sysfs_remove_group+0x84/0xe8 [110121.667450][ C7] sysfs_remove_groups+0x34/0x58 [110121.667458][ C7] device_remove_groups+0x10/0x20 [110121.667464][ C7] device_release_driver_internal+0x164/0x2e4 [110121.667475][ C7] device_release_driver+0x18/0x28 [110121.667484][ C7] bus_remove_device+0xec/0x118 [110121.667491][ C7] device_del+0x1e8/0x4ac [110121.667498][ C7] device_unregister+0x18/0x38 [110121.667504][ C7] typec_unregister_altmode+0x30/0x44 [110121.667515][ C7] tcpm_reset_port+0xac/0x370 [110121.667523][ C7] tcpm_snk_detach+0x84/0xb8 [110121.667529][ C7] run_state_machine+0x4c0/0x1b68 [110121.667536][ C7] tcpm_state_machine_work+0x94/0xe4 [110121.667544][ C7] kthread_worker_fn+0x10c/0x244 [110121.667552][ C7] kthread+0x104/0x1d4 [110121.667557][ C7] ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20 [110121.667689][ C7] Workqueue: events dp_altmode_work [110121.667697][ C7] Call trace: [110121.667701][ C7] __switch_to+0x174/0x338 [110121.667710][ C7] __schedule+0x608/0x9f0 [110121.667717][ C7] schedule+0x7c/0xe8 [110121.667725][ C7] schedule_preempt_disabled+0x24/0x40 [110121.667733][ C7] __mutex_lock+0x408/0xdac [110121.667741][ C7] __mutex_lock_slowpath+0x14/0x24 [110121.667748][ C7] mutex_lock+0x40/0xec [110121.667757][ C7] tcpm_altmode_enter+0x78/0xb4 [110121.667764][ C7] typec_altmode_enter+0xdc/0x10c [110121.667769][ C7] dp_altmode_work+0x68/0x164 [110121.667775][ C7] process_one_work+0x1e4/0x43c [110121.667783][ C7] worker_thread+0x25c/0x430 [110121.667789][ C7] kthread+0x104/0x1d4 [110121.667794][ C7] ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20 Change tcpm_queue_vdm_unlocked to queue for tcpm_queue_vdm_work, which can perform the state check while holding the TCPM lock while the Alt Mode lock is no longer held. This requires a new struct to hold the vdm data, altmode_vdm_event. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2025-38268? +
CVE-2025-38268 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 5.5 out of 10, rated MEDIUM. This is a medium-severity vulnerability that should be remediated as part of regular maintenance.
What products are affected by CVE-2025-38268? +
CVE-2025-38268 affects products from linux, specifically: linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.
How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2025-38268? +
You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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