CVE-2025-71158 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 01/23/2026
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
gpio: mpsse: ensure worker is torn down
When an IRQ worker is running, unplugging the device would cause a crash. The sealevel hardware this driver was written for was not hotpluggable, so I never realized it.
This change uses a spinlock to protect a list of workers, which it tears down on disconnect.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2026
The vulnerability CVE-2025-71158 represents a critical race condition and resource management flaw within the Linux kernel's gpio mpsse driver implementation. This issue specifically affects systems utilizing the mpsse (Multi-Protocol Synchronous Serial Engine) GPIO driver, which is commonly employed for communication with hardware devices through protocols such as SPI, I2C, and JTAG. The vulnerability stems from inadequate synchronization mechanisms when handling device disconnection events, creating a scenario where concurrent access to shared resources can lead to system instability and potential crashes.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of IRQ workers during device removal operations. When a hardware device connected through the mpsse GPIO interface is unplugged while an interrupt worker thread is actively processing, the kernel lacks proper synchronization to prevent concurrent access to the worker list structure. This race condition occurs because the driver does not adequately protect the list of active workers from simultaneous modification and access during the device disconnection sequence. The flaw manifests as a kernel crash when the system attempts to tear down worker threads while they are still executing or when memory references become invalid due to the timing of the disconnect operation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to embedded systems, industrial control environments, and any infrastructure relying on hot-pluggable GPIO devices. The impact extends beyond simple system crashes to potentially compromise the reliability of critical operations where device hot-plugging is expected behavior. Systems using this driver may experience unexpected downtime, data corruption, or complete system failures when devices are removed during active operation. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where device hot-plugging is a standard operational procedure, such as in manufacturing test equipment, network infrastructure, or field-deployed embedded systems.
The fix implemented addresses this vulnerability by introducing a spinlock mechanism to protect access to the worker list structure during device disconnection events. This synchronization approach ensures that when a device is unplugged, the system can safely tear down worker threads without risking concurrent access violations. The solution follows established kernel programming practices for managing concurrent access to shared data structures and demonstrates proper resource cleanup procedures during device removal. This change aligns with the common security principle of preventing race conditions through appropriate locking mechanisms, which is fundamental to maintaining kernel stability and preventing exploitation of timing-based vulnerabilities.
This vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-362, which describes "Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization," and relates to the broader category of kernel-level race conditions that can lead to system instability. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this under privilege escalation or system compromise techniques, as the vulnerability could potentially be exploited to gain unauthorized access to system resources or cause denial of service conditions. The fix demonstrates adherence to secure coding practices by implementing proper synchronization primitives to protect shared kernel data structures during device lifecycle management operations. Organizations should prioritize patching this vulnerability, particularly in production environments where device hot-plugging is utilized, to prevent potential system failures or security compromise scenarios that could arise from this race condition.