CVE-2025-21887: linux kernel Use-After-Free — Fix

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ovl: fix UAF in ovl_dentry_update_reval by moving dput() in ovl_link_up The issue was caused by dput(upper) being called before ovl_dentry_update_reval(), while upper->d_flags was still accessed in ovl_dentry_remote(). Move dput(upper) after its last use to prevent use-after-free. BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ovl_dentry_remote fs/overlayfs/util.c:162 [inline] BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ovl_dentry_update_reval+0xd2/0xf0 fs/overlayfs/util.c:167 Call Trace: <TASK> __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:88 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0x116/0x1f0 lib/dump_stack.c:114 print_address_description mm/kasan/report.c:377 [inline] print_report+0xc3/0x620 mm/kasan/report.c:488 kasan_report+0xd9/0x110 mm/kasan/report.c:601 ovl_dentry_remote fs/overlayfs/util.c:162 [inline] ovl_dentry_update_reval+0xd2/0xf0 fs/overlayfs/util.c:167 ovl_link_up fs/overlayfs/copy_up.c:610 [inline] ovl_copy_up_one+0x2105/0x3490 fs/overlayfs/copy_up.c:1170 ovl_copy_up_flags+0x18d/0x200 fs/overlayfs/copy_up.c:1223 ovl_rename+0x39e/0x18c0 fs/overlayfs/dir.c:1136 vfs_rename+0xf84/0x20a0 fs/namei.c:4893 ... </TASK>

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CVSS v3.1 Score

7.8

HIGH

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

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-416 Use After Free

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
linux	linux_kernel	5.10.188 — 5.11
linux	linux_kernel	5.15.121 — 5.15.179
linux	linux_kernel	6.1.39 — 6.1.130
linux	linux_kernel	6.3.13 — 6.4
linux	linux_kernel	6.4.4 — 6.6.81
linux	linux_kernel	6.7 — 6.12.18
linux	linux_kernel	6.13 — 6.13.6
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/3594aad97e7be2557ca9fa9c931b206b604028c8 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4b49d939b5a79117f939b77cc67efae2694d9799 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/60b4b5c1277fc491da9e1e7abab307bfa39c2db7 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/64455c8051c3aedc71abb7ec8d47c80301f99f00 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a7c41830ffcd17b2177a95a9b99b270302090c35 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c84e125fff2615b4d9c259e762596134eddd2f27

Other References

https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f77618291836168eca99e89cd175256f928f5e64 https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00045.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-21887? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ovl: fix UAF in ovl_dentry_update_reval by moving dput() in ovl_link_up The issue was caused by dput(upper) being called before ovl_dentry_update_reval(), while upper->d_flags was still accessed in ovl_dentry_remote(). Move dput(upper) after its last use to prevent use-after-free. BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ovl_dentry_remote fs/overlayfs/util.c:162 [inline] BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ovl_dentry_update_reval+0xd2/0xf0 fs/overlayfs/util.c:167 Call Trace: <TASK> __dump_stack lib/dump_stack.c:88 [inline] dump_stack_lvl+0x116/0x1f0 lib/dump_stack.c:114 print_address_description mm/kasan/report.c:377 [inline] print_report+0xc3/0x620 mm/kasan/report.c:488 kasan_report+0xd9/0x110 mm/kasan/report.c:601 ovl_dentry_remote fs/overlayfs/util.c:162 [inline] ovl_dentry_update_reval+0xd2/0xf0 fs/overlayfs/util.c:167 ovl_link_up fs/overlayfs/copy_up.c:610 [inline] ovl_copy_up_one+0x2105/0x3490 fs/overlayfs/copy_up.c:1170 ovl_copy_up_flags+0x18d/0x200 fs/overlayfs/copy_up.c:1223 ovl_rename+0x39e/0x18c0 fs/overlayfs/dir.c:1136 vfs_rename+0xf84/0x20a0 fs/namei.c:4893 ... </TASK> It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2025-21887? +

CVE-2025-21887 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching.

What products are affected by CVE-2025-21887? +

CVE-2025-21887 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-2025-21887? +

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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