CVE-2025-21739

High

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: scsi: ufs: core: Fix use-after free in init error and remove paths devm_blk_crypto_profile_init() registers a cleanup handler to run when the associated (platform-) device is being released. For UFS, the crypto private data and pointers are stored as part of the ufs_hba's data structure 'struct ufs_hba::crypto_profile'. This structure is allocated as part of the underlying ufshcd and therefore Scsi_host allocation. During driver release or during error handling in ufshcd_pltfrm_init(), this structure is released as part of ufshcd_dealloc_host() before the (platform-) device associated with the crypto call above is released. Once this device is released, the crypto cleanup code will run, using the just-released 'struct ufs_hba::crypto_profile'. This causes a use-after-free situation: Call trace: kfree+0x60/0x2d8 (P) kvfree+0x44/0x60 blk_crypto_profile_destroy_callback+0x28/0x70 devm_action_release+0x1c/0x30 release_nodes+0x6c/0x108 devres_release_all+0x98/0x100 device_unbind_cleanup+0x20/0x70 really_probe+0x218/0x2d0 In other words, the initialisation code flow is: platform-device probe ufshcd_pltfrm_init() ufshcd_alloc_host() scsi_host_alloc() allocation of struct ufs_hba creation of scsi-host devices devm_blk_crypto_profile_init() devm registration of cleanup handler using platform-device and during error handling of ufshcd_pltfrm_init() or during driver removal: ufshcd_dealloc_host() scsi_host_put() put_device(scsi-host) release of struct ufs_hba put_device(platform-device) crypto cleanup handler To fix this use-after free, change ufshcd_alloc_host() to register a devres action to automatically cleanup the underlying SCSI device on ufshcd destruction, without requiring explicit calls to ufshcd_dealloc_host(). This way: * the crypto profile and all other ufs_hba-owned resources are destroyed before SCSI (as they've been registered after) * a memleak is plugged in tc-dwc-g210-pci.c remove() as a side-effect * EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(ufshcd_dealloc_host) can be removed fully as it's not needed anymore * no future drivers using ufshcd_alloc_host() could ever forget adding the cleanup

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2025-02-27
Last modified 2026-06-01
CVSS version 3.1
Patch available
Yes

CVSS 3.1 score

7.8

out of 10
High
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Vector string
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Weakness type

CWE-416

CVE-2025-21739 is a Use After Free vulnerability

What is Use After Free?

The product references memory after it has been freed, which may cause it to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. Learn more on MITRE CWE

Affected versions

Linux kernel versions 5.12 and later are affected. Fixed in 5.15.209, 6.1.175, 6.6.135, 6.12.14, 6.13.3, 6.14 and their respective stable series.

Affected from
≥ 5.12
Fixed in
✓ 5.15.209 5.15.x ✓ 6.1.175 6.1.x ✓ 6.6.135 6.6.x ✓ 6.12.14 6.12.x ✓ 6.13.3 6.13.x ✓ 6.14

References

The following references provide additional information about CVE-2025-21739 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.

Frequently asked questions

  • What is CVE-2025-21739?

    CVE-2025-21739 is a High severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 7.8 out of 10 , classified as an Use After Free flaw (CWE-416) . It affects Linux kernel versions from 5.12 onward and has been patched in 5.15.209, 6.1.175, 6.6.135 and others. CVE-2025-21739 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • What is the CVSS score for CVE-2025-21739?

    CVE-2025-21739 has a CVSS score of 7.8 out of 10, rated High severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H .

  • Is there a patch available for CVE-2025-21739?

    Yes — CVE-2025-21739 has been patched. Fixed versions include 5.15.209, 6.1.175, 6.6.135 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 5.12 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.

  • Is CVE-2025-21739 actively exploited?

    No — CVE-2025-21739 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.

  • What is Use After Free (CWE-416)?

    The product references memory after it has been freed, which may cause it to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. View CWE-416 on MITRE CWE →