Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bus: mhi: host: pci_generic:...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
bus: mhi: host: pci_generic: Use pci_try_reset_function() to avoid deadlock
There are multiple places from where the recovery work gets scheduled
asynchronously. Also, there are multiple places where the caller waits
synchronously for the recovery to be completed. One such place is during
the PM shutdown() callback.
If the device is not alive during recovery_work, it will try to reset the
device using pci_reset_function(). This function internally will take the
device_lock() first before resetting the device. By this time, if the lock
has already been acquired, then recovery_work will get stalled while
waiting for the lock. And if the lock was already acquired by the caller
which waits for the recovery_work to be completed, it will lead to
deadlock.
This is what happened on the X1E80100 CRD device when the device died
before shutdown() callback. Driver core calls the driver's shutdown()
callback while holding the device_lock() leading to deadlock.
And this deadlock scenario can occur on other paths as well, like during
the PM suspend() callback, where the driver core would hold the
device_lock() before calling driver's suspend() callback. And if the
recovery_work was already started, it could lead to deadlock. This is also
observed on the X1E80100 CRD.
So to fix both issues, use pci_try_reset_function() in recovery_work. This
function first checks for the availability of the device_lock() before
trying to reset the device. If the lock is available, it will acquire it
and reset the device. Otherwise, it will return -EAGAIN. If that happens,
recovery_work will fail with the error message "Recovery failed" as not
much could be done.
Impact
CVE-2025-21951 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. No fixed version is listed yet, so configuration controls and monitoring matter more in the interim.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-21951? CVE-2025-21951 is a medium-severity security vulnerability. No fixed version is listed yet.
- How severe is CVE-2025-21951? CVE-2025-21951 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-21951? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-21951 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-21951 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-21951 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2025-21951 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.