CVE-2025-21696: linux kernel — Fix

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm: clear uffd-wp PTE/PMD state on mremap() When mremap()ing a memory region previously registered with userfaultfd as write-protected but without UFFD_FEATURE_EVENT_REMAP, an inconsistency in flag clearing leads to a mismatch between the vma flags (which have uffd-wp cleared) and the pte/pmd flags (which do not have uffd-wp cleared). This mismatch causes a subsequent mprotect(PROT_WRITE) to trigger a warning in page_table_check_pte_flags() due to setting the pte to writable while uffd-wp is still set. Fix this by always explicitly clearing the uffd-wp pte/pmd flags on any such mremap() so that the values are consistent with the existing clearing of VM_UFFD_WP. Be careful to clear the logical flag regardless of its physical form; a PTE bit, a swap PTE bit, or a PTE marker. Cover PTE, huge PMD and hugetlb paths.

Is your site exposed to CVE-2025-21696?

Run a free security scan — no signup, results in seconds.

CVSS v3.1 Score

5.5

MEDIUM

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
linux	linux_kernel	5.7 — 6.12.11
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All
linux	linux_kernel	All

References

Advisories & Patches

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0cef0bb836e3cfe00f08f9606c72abd72fe78ca3 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/310ac886d68de661c3a334198d8604b722d7fdf8

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-21696? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm: clear uffd-wp PTE/PMD state on mremap() When mremap()ing a memory region previously registered with userfaultfd as write-protected but without UFFD_FEATURE_EVENT_REMAP, an inconsistency in flag clearing leads to a mismatch between the vma flags (which have uffd-wp cleared) and the pte/pmd flags (which do not have uffd-wp cleared). This mismatch causes a subsequent mprotect(PROT_WRITE) to trigger a warning in page_table_check_pte_flags() due to setting the pte to writable while uffd-wp is still set. Fix this by always explicitly clearing the uffd-wp pte/pmd flags on any such mremap() so that the values are consistent with the existing clearing of VM_UFFD_WP. Be careful to clear the logical flag regardless of its physical form; a PTE bit, a swap PTE bit, or a PTE marker. Cover PTE, huge PMD and hugetlb paths. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2025-21696? +

CVE-2025-21696 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 5.5 out of 10, rated MEDIUM. This is a medium-severity vulnerability that should be remediated as part of regular maintenance.

What products are affected by CVE-2025-21696? +

CVE-2025-21696 affects products from linux, specifically: linux_kernel. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2025-21696? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

Related Vulnerabilities

CVE-2025-9588 10.0

Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') vulnerability in Iron Mountain Archiving Services Inc. …

CVE-2025-57870 10.0

A SQL Injection vulnerability exists in Esri ArcGIS Server versions 11.3, 11.4 and 11.5 on Windows, Linux and Kubernetes. This …

CVE-2026-48286 10.0

Adobe Campaign Classic (ACC) versions 7.4.3 build 9396 and earlier are affected by an Incorrect Authorization vulnerability that could result …

CVE-2026-13782 10.0

Use after free in Browser in Google Chrome prior to 150.0.7871.47 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the renderer …

CVE-2025-34028 10.0

The Commvault Command Center Innovation Release allows an unauthenticated actor to upload ZIP files that represent install packages that, when …

CVE-2026-48303 10.0

Adobe Campaign Classic (ACC) versions 7.4.3 build 9394 and earlier are affected by an Incorrect Authorization vulnerability that could result …

CVE-2025-21696