Import Source
https://github.com/microsoft/AzureLinuxVulnerabilityData/blob/main/osv/AZL-72475.json
JSON Data
https://api.osv.dev/v1/vulns/AZL-72475
Upstream
Published
2025-12-16T14:15:54Z
Modified
2026-04-21T04:36:45Z
Summary
CVE-2025-68214 affecting package kernel for versions less than 6.6.119.3-1
Details

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

timers: Fix NULL function pointer race in timer_shutdown_sync()

There is a race condition between timer_shutdown_sync() and timer expiration that can lead to hitting a WARN_ON in expire_timers().

The issue occurs when timer_shutdown_sync() clears the timer function to NULL while the timer is still running on another CPU. The race scenario looks like this:

CPU0 CPU1 lock_timer_base() expire_timers() base->running_timer = timer; unlock_timer_base() [call_timer_fn enter] mod_timer() ... timer_shutdown_sync() lock_timer_base() // For now, will not detach the timer but only clear its function to NULL if (base->running_timer != timer) ret = detach_if_pending(timer, base, true); if (shutdown) timer->function = NULL; unlock_timer_base() [call_timer_fn exit] lock_timer_base() base->running_timer = NULL; unlock_timer_base() ... // Now timer is pending while its function set to NULL. // next timer trigger expire_timers() WARN_ON_ONCE(!fn) // hit ... lock_timer_base() // Now timer will detach if (base->running_timer != timer) ret = detach_if_pending(timer, base, true); if (shutdown) timer->function = NULL; unlock_timer_base()

The problem is that timer_shutdown_sync() clears the timer function regardless of whether the timer is currently running. This can leave a pending timer with a NULL function pointer, which triggers the WARN_ON_ONCE(!fn) check in expire_timers().

Fix this by only clearing the timer function when actually detaching the timer. If the timer is running, leave the function pointer intact, which is safe because the timer will be properly detached when it finishes running.

References

Affected packages

Azure Linux:3 / kernel

Package

Name
kernel
Purl
pkg:rpm/azure-linux/kernel

Affected ranges

Type
ECOSYSTEM
Events
Introduced
0 Unknown introduced version / All previous versions are affected
Fixed
6.6.119.3-1

Database specific

source
"https://github.com/microsoft/AzureLinuxVulnerabilityData/blob/main/osv/AZL-72475.json"