Vulnerability Details CVE-2025-21897
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
sched_ext: Fix pick_task_scx() picking non-queued tasks when it's called without balance()
a6250aa251ea ("sched_ext: Handle cases where pick_task_scx() is called
without preceding balance_scx()") added a workaround to handle the cases
where pick_task_scx() is called without prececing balance_scx() which is due
to a fair class bug where pick_taks_fair() may return NULL after a true
return from balance_fair().
The workaround detects when pick_task_scx() is called without preceding
balance_scx() and emulates SCX_RQ_BAL_KEEP and triggers kicking to avoid
stalling. Unfortunately, the workaround code was testing whether @prev was
on SCX to decide whether to keep the task running. This is incorrect as the
task may be on SCX but no longer runnable.
This could lead to a non-runnable task to be returned from pick_task_scx()
which cause interesting confusions and failures. e.g. A common failure mode
is the task ending up with (!on_rq && on_cpu) state which can cause
potential wakers to busy loop, which can easily lead to deadlocks.
Fix it by testing whether @prev has SCX_TASK_QUEUED set. This makes
@prev_on_scx only used in one place. Open code the usage and improve the
comment while at it.
Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score
EPSS Score 0.0
EPSS Ranking 11.2%
CVSS Severity
CVSS v3 Score 5.5
Products affected by CVE-2025-21897
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.1
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.10
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.11
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.12
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.13
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.14
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.15
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.16
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.17
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.2
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.3
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.4
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.5
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.6
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.7
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.8
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12.9
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.1
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.2
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.3
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.4
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13.5
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cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14