CVE-2025-21652

CVE-2025-21652 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-416.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipvlan: Fix use-after-free in ipvlan_get_iflink(). syzbot presented an use-after-free report [0] regarding ipvlan and linkwatch. ipvlan does not hold a refcnt of the lower device unlike vlan and macvlan. If the linkwatch work is triggered for the ipvlan dev, the lower dev might have already been freed, resulting in UAF of ipvlan->phy_dev in ipvlan_get_iflink(). We can delay the lower dev unregistration like vlan and macvlan by holding the lower dev's refcnt in dev->netdev_ops->ndo_init() and releasing it in dev->priv_destructor(). Jakub pointed out calling .ndo_XXX after unregister_netdevice() has returned is error prone and suggested [1] addressing this UAF in the core by taking commit 750e51603395 ("net: avoid potential UAF in default_operstate()") further. Let's assume unregistering devices DOWN and use RCU protection in default_operstate() not to race with the device unregistration. [0]: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ipvlan_get_iflink+0x84/0x88 drivers/net/ipvlan/ipvlan_main.c:353 Read of size 4 at addr ffff0000d768c0e0 by task kworker/u8:35/6944 CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 6944 Comm: kworker/u8:35 Not tainted 6.13.0-rc2-g9bc5c9515b48 #12 4c3cb9e8b4565456f6a355f312ff91f4f29b3c47 Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT) Workqueue: events_unbound linkwatch_event Call trace: show_stack+0x38/0x50 arch/arm64/kernel/stacktrace.c:484 (C) __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:94 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0xbc/0x108 lib/dump_stack.c:120 print_address_description mm/kasan/report.c:378 [inline] print_report+0x16c/0x6f0 mm/kasan/report.c:489 kasan_report+0xc0/0x120 mm/kasan/report.c:602 __asan_report_load4_noabort+0x20/0x30 mm/kasan/report_generic.c:380 ipvlan_get_iflink+0x84/0x88 drivers/net/ipvlan/ipvlan_main.c:353 dev_get_iflink+0x7c/0xd8 net/core/dev.c:674 default_operstate net/core/link_watch.c:45 [inline] rfc2863_policy+0x144/0x360 net/core/link_watch.c:72 linkwatch_do_dev+0x60/0x228 net/core/link_watch.c:175 __linkwatch_run_queue+0x2f4/0x5b8 net/core/link_watch.c:239 linkwatch_event+0x64/0xa8 net/core/link_watch.c:282 process_one_work+0x700/0x1398 kernel/workqueue.c:3229 process_scheduled_works kernel/workqueue.c:3310 [inline] worker_thread+0x8c4/0xe10 kernel/workqueue.c:3391 kthread+0x2b0/0x360 kernel/kthread.c:389 ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20 arch/arm64/kernel/entry.S:862 Allocated by task 9303: kasan_save_stack mm/kasan/common.c:47 [inline] kasan_save_track+0x30/0x68 mm/kasan/common.c:68 kasan_save_alloc_info+0x44/0x58 mm/kasan/generic.c:568 poison_kmalloc_redzone mm/kasan/common.c:377 [inline] __kasan_kmalloc+0x84/0xa0 mm/kasan/common.c:394 kasan_kmalloc include/linux/kasan.h:260 [inline] __do_kmalloc_node mm/slub.c:4283 [inline] __kmalloc_node_noprof+0x2a0/0x560 mm/slub.c:4289 __kvmalloc_node_noprof+0x9c/0x230 mm/util.c:650 alloc_netdev_mqs+0xb4/0x1118 net/core/dev.c:11209 rtnl_create_link+0x2b8/0xb60 net/core/rtnetlink.c:3595 rtnl_newlink_create+0x19c/0x868 net/core/rtnetlink.c:3771 __rtnl_newlink net/core/rtnetlink.c:3896 [inline] rtnl_newlink+0x122c/0x15c0 net/core/rtnetlink.c:4011 rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x61c/0x918 net/core/rtnetlink.c:6901 netlink_rcv_skb+0x1dc/0x398 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2542 rtnetlink_rcv+0x34/0x50 net/core/rtnetlink.c:6928 netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1321 [inline] netlink_unicast+0x618/0x838 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1347 netlink_sendmsg+0x5fc/0x8b0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1891 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:711 [inline] __sock_sendmsg net/socket.c:726 [inline] __sys_sendto+0x2ec/0x438 net/socket.c:2197 __do_sys_sendto net/socket.c:2204 [inline] __se_sys_sendto net/socket.c:2200 [inline] __arm64_sys_sendto+0xe4/0x110 net/socket.c:2200 __invoke_syscall arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:35 [inline] invoke_syscall+0x90/0x278 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:49 el0_svc_common+0x13c/0x250 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:132 do_el0_svc+0x54/0x70 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:151 el ---truncated---

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2025-21652?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipvlan: Fix use-after-free in ipvlan_get_iflink(). syzbot presented an use-after-free report [0] regarding ipvlan and linkwatch. ipvlan does not hold a refcnt of the lower device unlike vlan and macvlan. If the linkwatch work is triggered for the ipvlan dev, the lower dev might have already been freed, resulting in UAF of ipvlan->phy_dev in ipvlan_get_iflink(). We can delay the lower dev unregistration like vlan and macvlan by holding the lower dev's refcnt in dev->netdev_ops->ndo_init() and releasing it in dev->priv_destructor(). Jakub pointed out calling .ndo_XXX after unregister_netdevice() has returned is error prone and suggested [1] addressing this UAF in the core by taking commit 750e51603395 ("net: avoid potential UAF in default_operstate()") further. Let's assume unregistering devices DOWN and use RCU protection in default_operstate() not to race with the device unregistration. [0]: BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ipvlan_get_iflink+0x84/0x88 drivers/net/ipvlan/ipvlan_main.c:353 Read of size 4 at addr ffff0000d768c0e0 by task kworker/u8:35/6944 CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 6944 Comm: kworker/u8:35 Not tainted 6.13.0-rc2-g9bc5c9515b48 #12 4c3cb9e8b4565456f6a355f312ff91f4f29b3c47 Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT) Workqueue: events_unbound linkwatch_event Call trace: show_stack+0x38/0x50 arch/arm64/kernel/stacktrace.c:484 (C) __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:94 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0xbc/0x108 lib/dump_stack.c:120 print_address_description mm/kasan/report.c:378 [inline] print_report+0x16c/0x6f0 mm/kasan/report.c:489 kasan_report+0xc0/0x120 mm/kasan/report.c:602 __asan_report_load4_noabort+0x20/0x30 mm/kasan/report_generic.c:380 ipvlan_get_iflink+0x84/0x88 drivers/net/ipvlan/ipvlan_main.c:353 dev_get_iflink+0x7c/0xd8 net/core/dev.c:674 default_operstate net/core/link_watch.c:45 [inline] rfc2863_policy+0x144/0x360 net/core/link_watch.c:72 linkwatch_do_dev+0x60/0x228 net/core/link_watch.c:175 __linkwatch_run_queue+0x2f4/0x5b8 net/core/link_watch.c:239 linkwatch_event+0x64/0xa8 net/core/link_watch.c:282 process_one_work+0x700/0x1398 kernel/workqueue.c:3229 process_scheduled_works kernel/workqueue.c:3310 [inline] worker_thread+0x8c4/0xe10 kernel/workqueue.c:3391 kthread+0x2b0/0x360 kernel/kthread.c:389 ret_from_fork+0x10/0x20 arch/arm64/kernel/entry.S:862 Allocated by task 9303: kasan_save_stack mm/kasan/common.c:47 [inline] kasan_save_track+0x30/0x68 mm/kasan/common.c:68 kasan_save_alloc_info+0x44/0x58 mm/kasan/generic.c:568 poison_kmalloc_redzone mm/kasan/common.c:377 [inline] __kasan_kmalloc+0x84/0xa0 mm/kasan/common.c:394 kasan_kmalloc include/linux/kasan.h:260 [inline] __do_kmalloc_node mm/slub.c:4283 [inline] __kmalloc_node_noprof+0x2a0/0x560 mm/slub.c:4289 __kvmalloc_node_noprof+0x9c/0x230 mm/util.c:650 alloc_netdev_mqs+0xb4/0x1118 net/core/dev.c:11209 rtnl_create_link+0x2b8/0xb60 net/core/rtnetlink.c:3595 rtnl_newlink_create+0x19c/0x868 net/core/rtnetlink.c:3771 __rtnl_newlink net/core/rtnetlink.c:3896 [inline] rtnl_newlink+0x122c/0x15c0 net/core/rtnetlink.c:4011 rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x61c/0x918 net/core/rtnetlink.c:6901 netlink_rcv_skb+0x1dc/0x398 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2542 rtnetlink_rcv+0x34/0x50 net/core/rtnetlink.c:6928 netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1321 [inline] netlink_unicast+0x618/0x838 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1347 netlink_sendmsg+0x5fc/0x8b0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1891 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:711 [inline] __sock_sendmsg net/socket.c:726 [inline] __sys_sendto+0x2ec/0x438 net/socket.c:2197 __do_sys_sendto net/socket.c:2204 [inline] __se_sys_sendto net/socket.c:2200 [inline] __arm64_sys_sendto+0xe4/0x110 net/socket.c:2200 __invoke_syscall arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:35 [inline] invoke_syscall+0x90/0x278 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:49 el0_svc_common+0x13c/0x250 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:132 do_el0_svc+0x54/0x70 arch/arm64/kernel/syscall.c:151 el ---truncated---
How severe is CVE-2025-21652?
CVE-2025-21652 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2025-21652 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (10th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2025-21652?
CVE-2025-21652 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 7 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2025-21652?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
Does CVE-2025-21652 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2025-21652 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2025-2601.
When was CVE-2025-21652 published?
CVE-2025-21652 was published on 2025-01-19 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (7)

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