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

nfsd: fix nfsd_file reference leak in nfsd4_add_rdaccess_to_wrdeleg()

nfsd4_add_rdaccess_to_wrdeleg() unconditionally overwrites
fp->fi_fds[O_RDONLY] with a newly acquired nfsd_file. However, if
the client already has a SHARE_ACCESS_READ open from a previous OPEN
operation, this action overwrites the existing pointer without
releasing its reference, orphaning the previous reference.

Additionally, the function originally stored the same nfsd_file
pointer in both fp->fi_fds[O_RDONLY] and fp->fi_rdeleg_file with
only a single reference. When put_deleg_file() runs, it clears
fi_rdeleg_file and calls nfs4_file_put_access() to release the file.

However, nfs4_file_put_access() only releases fi_fds[O_RDONLY] when
the fi_access[O_RDONLY] counter drops to zero. If another READ open
exists on the file, the counter remains elevated and the nfsd_file
reference from the delegation is never released. This potentially
causes open conflicts on that file.

Then, on server shutdown, these leaks cause __nfsd_file_cache_purge()
to encounter files with an elevated reference count that cannot be
cleaned up, ultimately triggering a BUG() in kmem_cache_destroy()
because there are still nfsd_file objects allocated in that cache.
Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfsd: fix nfsd_file reference leak in nfsd4_add_rdaccess_to_wrdeleg() nfsd4_add_rdaccess_to_wrdeleg() unconditionally overwrites fp->fi_fds[O_RDONLY] with a newly acquired nfsd_file. However, if the client already has a SHARE_ACCESS_READ open from a previous OPEN operation, this action overwrites the existing pointer without releasing its reference, orphaning the previous reference. Additionally, the function originally stored the same nfsd_file pointer in both fp->fi_fds[O_RDONLY] and fp->fi_rdeleg_file with only a single reference. When put_deleg_file() runs, it clears fi_rdeleg_file and calls nfs4_file_put_access() to release the file. However, nfs4_file_put_access() only releases fi_fds[O_RDONLY] when the fi_access[O_RDONLY] counter drops to zero. If another READ open exists on the file, the counter remains elevated and the nfsd_file reference from the delegation is never released. This potentially causes open conflicts on that file. Then, on server shutdown, these leaks cause __nfsd_file_cache_purge() to encounter files with an elevated reference count that cannot be cleaned up, ultimately triggering a BUG() in kmem_cache_destroy() because there are still nfsd_file objects allocated in that cache.
Title nfsd: fix nfsd_file reference leak in nfsd4_add_rdaccess_to_wrdeleg()
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Projects

Sign in to view the affected projects.

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-01-13T15:34:51.777Z

Reserved: 2026-01-13T15:30:19.649Z

Link: CVE-2025-71090

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-01-13T16:16:08.700

Modified: 2026-01-13T16:16:08.700

Link: CVE-2025-71090

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

No weakness.