CVE-2025-40186

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tcp: Don't call reqsk_fastopen_remove() in tcp_conn_request(). syzbot reported the splat below in tcp_conn_request(). [0] If a listener is close()d while a TFO socket is being processed in tcp_conn_request(), inet_csk_reqsk_queue_add() does not set reqsk->sk and calls inet_child_forget(), which calls tcp_disconnect() for the TFO socket. After the cited commit, tcp_disconnect() calls reqsk_fastopen_remove(), where reqsk_put() is called due to !reqsk->sk. Then, reqsk_fastopen_remove() in tcp_conn_request() decrements the last req->rsk_refcnt and frees reqsk, and __reqsk_free() at the drop_and_free label causes the refcount underflow for the listener and double-free of the reqsk. Let's remove reqsk_fastopen_remove() in tcp_conn_request(). Note that other callers make sure tp->fastopen_rsk is not NULL. [0]: refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free. WARNING: CPU: 12 PID: 5563 at lib/refcount.c:28 refcount_warn_saturate (lib/refcount.c:28) Modules linked in: CPU: 12 UID: 0 PID: 5563 Comm: syz-executor Not tainted syzkaller #0 PREEMPT(full) Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 07/12/2025 RIP: 0010:refcount_warn_saturate (lib/refcount.c:28) Code: ab e8 8e b4 98 ff 0f 0b c3 cc cc cc cc cc 80 3d a4 e4 d6 01 00 75 9c c6 05 9b e4 d6 01 01 48 c7 c7 e8 df fb ab e8 6a b4 98 ff <0f> 0b e9 03 5b 76 00 cc 80 3d 7d e4 d6 01 00 0f 85 74 ff ff ff c6 RSP: 0018:ffffa79fc0304a98 EFLAGS: 00010246 RAX: d83af4db1c6b3900 RBX: ffff9f65c7a69020 RCX: d83af4db1c6b3900 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 00000000ffff7fff RDI: ffffffffac78a280 RBP: 000000009d781b60 R08: 0000000000007fff R09: ffffffffac6ca280 R10: 0000000000017ffd R11: 0000000000000004 R12: ffff9f65c7b4f100 R13: ffff9f65c7d23c00 R14: ffff9f65c7d26000 R15: ffff9f65c7a64ef8 FS: 00007f9f962176c0(0000) GS:ffff9f65fcf00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 0000200000000180 CR3: 000000000dbbe006 CR4: 0000000000372ef0 Call Trace: <IRQ> tcp_conn_request (./include/linux/refcount.h:400 ./include/linux/refcount.h:432 ./include/linux/refcount.h:450 ./include/net/sock.h:1965 ./include/net/request_sock.h:131 net/ipv4/tcp_input.c:7301) tcp_rcv_state_process (net/ipv4/tcp_input.c:6708) tcp_v6_do_rcv (net/ipv6/tcp_ipv6.c:1670) tcp_v6_rcv (net/ipv6/tcp_ipv6.c:1906) ip6_protocol_deliver_rcu (net/ipv6/ip6_input.c:438) ip6_input (net/ipv6/ip6_input.c:500) ipv6_rcv (net/ipv6/ip6_input.c:311) __netif_receive_skb (net/core/dev.c:6104) process_backlog (net/core/dev.c:6456) __napi_poll (net/core/dev.c:7506) net_rx_action (net/core/dev.c:7569 net/core/dev.c:7696) handle_softirqs (kernel/softirq.c:579) do_softirq (kernel/softirq.c:480) </IRQ>

At a glance

Exploitability

Can be exploited over the network without logging in. High risk of data exposure, data tampering, service disruption.

Exploit odds

0.6% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

No patch or advisory is linked yet. Look at mitigations or restrict exposure.

Timeline

1. 2025-04-16 07:20 UTC ReservedThe CVE id was reserved by its CNA
2. 2025-11-12 22:15 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
3. 2026-10-19 21:10 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.6% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: 8.1 HIGH (CVSS).
• Fix: none linked yet, which raises it.

Details

Published

2025-11-12 22:15 UTC

Last modified

2026-10-19 21:10 UTC

Exploit probability

0.6% · EPSS, next 30 days

Record status

Deferred

Attack profile CVSS 3.1 · 8.1

Attack vector

Network

Complexity

High

Privileges needed

None

User interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Is it in your code?

Hand this to your coding agent. It searches your project for the affected products and checks versions. Nothing leaves your machine.

Read https://cve-list.com/agent/cve/CVE-2025-40186.md and follow it. Check whether this project is affected by CVE-2025-40186. Read only. Don't change anything and don't upload my code. Tell me yes, no or not sure, with the file as proof.

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