CVE-2025-21709

MEDIUM
Published Feb 27, 2025 Modified Apr 22, 2026

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kernel: be more careful about dup_mmap() failures and uprobe registering If a memory allocation fails during dup_mmap(), the maple tree can be left in an unsafe state for other iterators besides the exit path. All the locks are dropped before the exit_mmap() call (in mm/mmap.c), but the incomplete mm_struct can be reached through (at least) the rmap finding the vmas which have a pointer back to the mm_struct. Up to this point, there have been no issues with being able to find an mm_struct that was only partially initialised. Syzbot was able to make the incomplete mm_struct fail with recent forking changes, so it has been proven unsafe to use the mm_struct that hasn't been initialised, as referenced in the link below. Although 8ac662f5da19f ("fork: avoid inappropriate uprobe access to invalid mm") fixed the uprobe access, it does not completely remove the race. This patch sets the MMF_OOM_SKIP to avoid the iteration of the vmas on the oom side (even though this is extremely unlikely to be selected as an oom victim in the race window), and sets MMF_UNSTABLE to avoid other potential users from using a partially initialised mm_struct. When registering vmas for uprobe, skip the vmas in an mm that is marked unstable. Modifying a vma in an unstable mm may cause issues if the mm isn't fully initialised.

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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
linux linux_kernel

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-21709? +
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: kernel: be more careful about dup_mmap() failures and uprobe registering If a memory allocation fails during dup_mmap(), the maple tree can be left in an unsafe state for other iterators besides the exit path. All the locks are dropped before the exit_mmap() call (in mm/mmap.c), but the incomplete mm_struct can be reached through (at least) the rmap finding the vmas which have a pointer back to the mm_struct. Up to this point, there have been no issues with being able to find an mm_struct that was only partially initialised. Syzbot was able to make the incomplete mm_struct fail with recent forking changes, so it has been proven unsafe to use the mm_struct that hasn't been initialised, as referenced in the link below. Although 8ac662f5da19f ("fork: avoid inappropriate uprobe access to invalid mm") fixed the uprobe access, it does not completely remove the race. This patch sets the MMF_OOM_SKIP to avoid the iteration of the vmas on the oom side (even though this is extremely unlikely to be selected as an oom victim in the race window), and sets MMF_UNSTABLE to avoid other potential users from using a partially initialised mm_struct. When registering vmas for uprobe, skip the vmas in an mm that is marked unstable. Modifying a vma in an unstable mm may cause issues if the mm isn't fully initialised. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2025-21709? +
CVE-2025-21709 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-2025-21709? +
CVE-2025-21709 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-2025-21709? +
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.

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