CVE-2025-40039: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: Fix race condition in RPC handle list access The 'sess->rpc_handle

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: Fix race condition in RPC handle list access The 'sess->rpc_handle_list' XArray man

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: Fix race condition in RPC handle list access The 'sess->rpc_handle_list' XArray manages RPC handles within a ksmbd session. Access to this list is intended to be protected by 'sess->rpc_lock' (an rw_semaphore). However, the locking implementation was flawed, leading to potential race conditions. In ksmbd_session_rpc_open(), the code incorrectly acquired only a read lock before calling xa_store() and xa_erase(). Since these operations modify the XArray structure, a write lock is required to ensure exclusive access and prevent data corruption from concurrent modifications. Furthermore, ksmbd_session_rpc_method() accessed the list using xa_load() without holding any lock at all. This could lead to reading inconsistent data or a potential use-after-free if an entry is concurrently removed and the pointer is dereferenced. Fix these issues by: 1. Using down_write() and up_write() in ksmbd_session_rpc_open() to ensure exclusive access during XArray modification, and ensuring the lock is correctly released on error paths. 2. Adding down_read() and up_read() in ksmbd_session_rpc_method() to safely prote

Description from the National Vulnerability Database, published by 416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67

What it means for a small business

Linux is on the computers, phones or browsers your team uses every day. Turn on automatic updates and restart: most of these fixes only take effect after a restart.

How likely is an attack? The Exploit Prediction Scoring System, run by FIRST (the global association of security response teams), puts the odds of this one being exploited in the next 30 days at 0.31%, higher than 24% of CVEs. That’s low, but low isn’t zero, and the odds jump the day someone publishes an exploit. Scored October 29, 2026, updated daily.

Check your own setup

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Server check: what your web server says about itself, and whether that version has known flaws.

Sources

Part of the Huttenlocher Technologies vulnerability database, refreshed twice a day from CISA and the NVD. The title, category and plain-language guidance are ours; check the linked record before acting on a detail. This is general guidance, not a review of your systems.

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