The vulnerability limits the SELinux policy file (/sys/fs/selinux/policy) to a single open at any one time. A process that succeeds in opening the file holds a flag that blocks all other processes from reading the policy until the file is closed. Because the policy file contains critical security information, this single-open restriction can be abused to permanently deny other processes from obtaining the policy, effectively causing a denial of service against SELinux functionality. The flaw does not provide a path for arbitrary code execution or data exfiltration.

The issue is present in all Linux kernel versions that have not incorporated the commit that removes the single-open restriction. The affected CPES indicate every upstream kernel release, including 7.1 RC1 and RC2, as well as all other versions tracked by the CPE pattern. This means that virtually all Linux operating systems running an unpatched mainline kernel are affected until they update to a version that includes the change.

The CVSS score of 5.5 classifies the vulnerability as medium severity. The EPSS score of 0.001 (<1%) indicates a low but non‑zero probability that the vulnerability will be exploited in the wild. The flaw is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. Only local users with the ability to open /sys/fs/selinux/policy—typically users with elevated privileges or those operating under SELinux enforcement—can trigger the denial of service. An attacker would open the policy file and keep it open, permanently blocking other processes from accessing policy data until the file is closed or the system is rebooted.