---
id: CVE-2025-38231
title: 'nfsd: Initialize ssc before laundromat_work to prevent NULL dereference'
summary: |-
  In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

  nfsd: Initialize ssc before laundromat_work to prevent NULL dereference

  In nfs4_state_start_net(), laundromat_work may access nfsd_ssc through
  nfs4_laundromat -> nfsd4…
severity: none
vendor: Linux
product: Linux
affected:
  - >-
    Linux >= a4bc287943f5695209ff36bdc89f17b48d68fae7 <
    deaeb74ae9318252829c59a84a7d2316fc335660
  - >-
    Linux >= f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b <
    0fccf5f01ed28725cc313a66ca1247eef911d55e
  - >-
    Linux >= f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b <
    a97668ec6d73dab237cd1c15efe012a10090a4ed
  - >-
    Linux >= f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b <
    5060e1a5fef184bd11d298e3f0ee920d96a23236
  - >-
    Linux >= f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b <
    d622c2ee6c08147ab8c9b9e37d93b6e95d3258e0
  - >-
    Linux >= f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b <
    83ac1ba8ca102ab5c0ed4351f8ac6e74ac4d5d64
  - >-
    Linux >= f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b <
    b31da62889e6d610114d81dc7a6edbcaa503fcf8
  - Linux >= 5.10.220 < 5.10.239
  - Linux 5.14
published: '2025-07-04'
updated: '2026-10-15'
sourceUpdated: '2026-10-15T01:06:53.634Z'
source: CVEORG
sourceUrl: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38231'
references:
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/deaeb74ae9318252829c59a84a7d2316fc335660'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0fccf5f01ed28725cc313a66ca1247eef911d55e'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a97668ec6d73dab237cd1c15efe012a10090a4ed'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5060e1a5fef184bd11d298e3f0ee920d96a23236'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/d622c2ee6c08147ab8c9b9e37d93b6e95d3258e0'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/83ac1ba8ca102ab5c0ed4351f8ac6e74ac4d5d64'
  - url: 'https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b31da62889e6d610114d81dc7a6edbcaa503fcf8'
tags:
  - cve.org
epss: 0.00184
epssPercentile: 0.07939
ingestedAt: '2026-10-15T05:52:46.092Z'
---

## Overview

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

nfsd: Initialize ssc before laundromat_work to prevent NULL dereference

In nfs4_state_start_net(), laundromat_work may access nfsd_ssc through
nfs4_laundromat -> nfsd4_ssc_expire_umount. If nfsd_ssc isn't initialized,
this can cause NULL pointer dereference.

Normally the delayed start of laundromat_work allows sufficient time for
nfsd_ssc initialization to complete. However, when the kernel waits too
long for userspace responses (e.g. in nfs4_state_start_net ->
nfsd4_end_grace -> nfsd4_record_grace_done -> nfsd4_cld_grace_done ->
cld_pipe_upcall -> __cld_pipe_upcall -> wait_for_completion path), the
delayed work may start before nfsd_ssc initialization finishes.

Fix this by moving nfsd_ssc initialization before starting laundromat_work.

## Affected

- `Linux >= a4bc287943f5695209ff36bdc89f17b48d68fae7 < deaeb74ae9318252829c59a84a7d2316fc335660`
- `Linux >= f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b < 0fccf5f01ed28725cc313a66ca1247eef911d55e`
- `Linux >= f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b < a97668ec6d73dab237cd1c15efe012a10090a4ed`
- `Linux >= f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b < 5060e1a5fef184bd11d298e3f0ee920d96a23236`
- `Linux >= f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b < d622c2ee6c08147ab8c9b9e37d93b6e95d3258e0`
- `Linux >= f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b < 83ac1ba8ca102ab5c0ed4351f8ac6e74ac4d5d64`
- `Linux >= f4e44b393389c77958f7c58bf4415032b4cda15b < b31da62889e6d610114d81dc7a6edbcaa503fcf8`
- `Linux >= 5.10.220 < 5.10.239`
- `Linux 5.14`

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.