CVE-2025-22098 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 04/16/2025
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
drm: zynqmp_dp: Fix a deadlock in zynqmp_dp_ignore_hpd_set()
Instead of attempting the same mutex twice, lock and unlock it.
This bug has been detected by the Clang thread-safety analyzer.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/15/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-22098 represents a critical deadlock condition within the Linux kernel's display subsystem, specifically affecting the ZynqMP DisplayPort driver. This issue manifests in the zynqmp_dp_ignore_hpd_set() function where improper mutex handling creates a circular dependency that prevents system progression. The flaw occurs when the driver attempts to acquire the same mutex lock twice in sequence, creating an unavoidable deadlock scenario that can render the display subsystem non-responsive and potentially cause system hangs or crashes.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper synchronization mechanisms within the kernel's device driver architecture. The zynqmp_dp_ignore_hpd_set() function demonstrates a classic mutex deadlock pattern where the same lock is acquired multiple times without proper unlocking between acquisitions. This violates fundamental concurrency control principles and creates a situation where the thread attempting to acquire the mutex becomes blocked indefinitely. The Clang thread-safety analyzer detected this pattern during static code analysis, highlighting the violation of proper locking protocols that should prevent recursive lock acquisition within the same execution context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system performance degradation to potentially critical system stability issues. When the deadlock occurs within the display driver, it can prevent proper handling of hotplug detection events, which are essential for maintaining display connectivity and user experience. This affects systems utilizing Xilinx ZynqMP SoC platforms where DisplayPort functionality is critical, potentially causing complete display subsystem failures that require system reboot to resolve. The vulnerability affects any Linux kernel version containing the problematic zynqmp_dp driver code and impacts embedded systems, industrial computing platforms, and automotive applications that rely on ZynqMP hardware for display management.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate kernel updates that implement proper mutex handling within the affected function. The fix involves restructuring the zynqmp_dp_ignore_hpd_set() function to ensure that mutex locks are properly acquired and released in a single atomic operation without attempting to reacquire the same lock. System administrators should prioritize applying kernel patches from their respective distributions, as this vulnerability can be exploited to cause denial of service conditions that may require manual intervention to resolve. Organizations running embedded systems on ZynqMP platforms should conduct thorough testing of patched kernels to ensure that display functionality remains stable and responsive after applying the security update. The fix aligns with CWE-362 standard for concurrent execution using improper locking and addresses ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for resource hijacking through system instability.