{"cve":"CVE-2025-21897","nvd":{"published":"2025-04-01T16:15:20.083","modified":"2026-06-17T08:44:33.420","status":"Analyzed","description":"In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nsched_ext: Fix pick_task_scx() picking non-queued tasks when it's called without balance()\n\na6250aa251ea (\"sched_ext: Handle cases where pick_task_scx() is called\nwithout preceding balance_scx()\") added a workaround to handle the cases\nwhere pick_task_scx() is called without prececing balance_scx() which is due\nto a fair class bug where pick_taks_fair() may return NULL after a true\nreturn from balance_fair().\n\nThe workaround detects when pick_task_scx() is called without preceding\nbalance_scx() and emulates SCX_RQ_BAL_KEEP and triggers kicking to avoid\nstalling. Unfortunately, the workaround code was testing whether @prev was\non SCX to decide whether to keep the task running. This is incorrect as the\ntask may be on SCX but no longer runnable.\n\nThis could lead to a non-runnable task to be returned from pick_task_scx()\nwhich cause interesting confusions and failures. e.g. A common failure mode\nis the task ending up with (!on_rq && on_cpu) state which can cause\npotential wakers to busy loop, which can easily lead to deadlocks.\n\nFix it by testing whether @prev has SCX_TASK_QUEUED set. This makes\n@prev_on_scx only used in one place. Open code the usage and improve the\ncomment while at it.","cvss_v4":null,"cvss_v3":{"version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H","score":5.5},"cwes":["CWE-667"],"references":["https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5324c459f90d16b0c43a78b494c598915d782b7a","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8fef0a3b17bb258130a4fcbcb5addf94b25e9ec5","https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/de60a31cb0bcacfaf9487546eac5e70e0a9c66d7"],"products":["linux:linux_kernel"],"source":"nvd","synced_at":"2026-10-19T22:00:28.034033815+00:00"},"epss":{"cve":"CVE-2025-21897","score":0.00154,"percentile":0.04496,"date":"2026-10-31"},"kev":null,"osv":[],"attribution":["This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.","EPSS scores: FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System, https://www.first.org/epss","Known exploited vulnerabilities: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog","Package advisories: OSV (https://osv.dev), from the GitHub Advisory Database, PyPA, Go, RustSec and other ecosystem databases, under CC-BY 4.0 or CC0","CVE records: the CVE Program's CVE List (https://www.cve.org), under its terms of use (https://www.cve.org/Legal/TermsOfUse). CVE is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation; this product is not affiliated with the CVE Program."]}