CVE-2025-21713
MediumIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: powerpc/pseries/iommu: Don't unset window if it was never set On pSeries, when user attempts to use the same vfio container used by different iommu group, the spapr_tce_set_window() returns -EPERM and the subsequent cleanup leads to the below crash. Kernel attempted to read user page (308) - exploit attempt? BUG: Kernel NULL pointer dereference on read at 0x00000308 Faulting instruction address: 0xc0000000001ce358 Oops: Kernel access of bad area, sig: 11 [#1] NIP: c0000000001ce358 LR: c0000000001ce05c CTR: c00000000005add0 <snip> NIP [c0000000001ce358] spapr_tce_unset_window+0x3b8/0x510 LR [c0000000001ce05c] spapr_tce_unset_window+0xbc/0x510 Call Trace: spapr_tce_unset_window+0xbc/0x510 (unreliable) tce_iommu_attach_group+0x24c/0x340 [vfio_iommu_spapr_tce] vfio_container_attach_group+0xec/0x240 [vfio] vfio_group_fops_unl_ioctl+0x548/0xb00 [vfio] sys_ioctl+0x754/0x1580 system_call_exception+0x13c/0x330 system_call_vectored_common+0x15c/0x2ec <snip> --- interrupt: 3000 Fix this by having null check for the tbl passed to the spapr_tce_unset_window().
CVSS 3.1 score
5.5
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Weakness type
CWE-476CVE-2025-21713 is a NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability
What is NULL Pointer Dereference?
The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. Learn more on MITRE CWE
Affected versions
Linux kernel versions
6.11
and later are affected. Fixed in
6.12.13,
6.13.2,
6.14
and their respective stable series.
References
The following references provide additional information about CVE-2025-21713 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/17391cb2613b82f8c405570fea605af3255ff8d2
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac12372a13dab3f7a2762db240bd180de8ef1e5e
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b853ff0b514c1df314246fcf94744005914b48cb
Frequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2025-21713?
CVE-2025-21713 is a Medium severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10 , classified as a NULL Pointer Dereference flaw (CWE-476) . It affects Linux kernel versions from 6.11 onward and has been patched in 6.12.13, 6.13.2 and 6.14. CVE-2025-21713 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
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What is the CVSS score for CVE-2025-21713?
CVE-2025-21713 has a CVSS score of 5.5 out of 10, rated Medium severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. -
Is there a patch available for CVE-2025-21713?
Yes — CVE-2025-21713 has been patched. Fixed versions include 6.12.13, 6.13.2 and 6.14. If you are running Linux kernel 6.11 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2025-21713 actively exploited?
No — CVE-2025-21713 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.
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What is NULL Pointer Dereference (CWE-476)?
The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL, typically causing a crash. View CWE-476 on MITRE CWE →