CVE-2025-21691

CVE-2025-21691 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cachestat: fix page cache statistics permission checking When the 'cachestat()' system call was added in commit cf264e1329fb ("cachestat: implement cachestat syscall"), it was meant to be a much more convenient (and performant) version of mincore() that didn't need mapping things into the user virtual address space in order to work. But it ended up missing the "check for writability or ownership" fix for mincore(), done in commit 134fca9063ad ("mm/mincore.c: make mincore() more conservative"). This just adds equivalent logic to 'cachestat()', modified for the file context (rather than vma).

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2025-21691?
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: cachestat: fix page cache statistics permission checking When the 'cachestat()' system call was added in commit cf264e1329fb ("cachestat: implement cachestat syscall"), it was meant to be a much more convenient (and performant) version of mincore() that didn't need mapping things into the user virtual address space in order to work. But it ended up missing the "check for writability or ownership" fix for mincore(), done in commit 134fca9063ad ("mm/mincore.c: make mincore() more conservative"). This just adds equivalent logic to 'cachestat()', modified for the file context (rather than vma).
How severe is CVE-2025-21691?
CVE-2025-21691 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2025-21691 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (9th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2025-21691?
CVE-2025-21691 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2025-21691?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
Does CVE-2025-21691 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2025-21691 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2025-2640.
When was CVE-2025-21691 published?
CVE-2025-21691 was published on 2025-02-10 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

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