Linux Kernel Vulnerability Affecting Phylink Mechanism and Locking Behavior

CVE-2025-39915

What is CVE-2025-39915?

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel involves the phylink mechanism and the phy_config_inband function, where a locking dependency exists between &pl->state_mutex and &phy->lock. This could lead to a potential deadlock situation if concurrent calls to phylink functions are made. The problem arises from an inconsistency in the locking order, which can interfere with the normal operation of PHY state changes. It is recommended that the locking responsibility be adjusted to prevent these issues.

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