CVE-2025-21919: linux kernel Memory Corruption — Fix

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sched/fair: Fix potential memory corruption in child_cfs_rq_on_list child_cfs_rq_on_list attempts to convert a 'prev' pointer to a cfs_rq. This 'prev' pointer can originate from struct rq's leaf_cfs_rq_list, making the conversion invalid and potentially leading to memory corruption. Depending on the relative positions of leaf_cfs_rq_list and the task group (tg) pointer within the struct, this can cause a memory fault or access garbage data. The issue arises in list_add_leaf_cfs_rq, where both cfs_rq->leaf_cfs_rq_list and rq->leaf_cfs_rq_list are added to the same leaf list. Also, rq->tmp_alone_branch can be set to rq->leaf_cfs_rq_list. This adds a check `if (prev == &rq->leaf_cfs_rq_list)` after the main conditional in child_cfs_rq_on_list. This ensures that the container_of operation will convert a correct cfs_rq struct. This check is sufficient because only cfs_rqs on the same CPU are added to the list, so verifying the 'prev' pointer against the current rq's list head is enough. Fixes a potential memory corruption issue that due to current struct layout might not be manifesting as a crash but could lead to unpredictable behavior when the layout changes.

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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-787 Out-of-bounds Write

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
linux	linux_kernel	5.13 — 5.15.179
linux	linux_kernel	5.16 — 6.1.131
linux	linux_kernel	6.2 — 6.6.83
linux	linux_kernel	6.7 — 6.12.19
linux	linux_kernel	6.13 — 6.13.7
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/000c9ee43928f2ce68a156dd40bab7616256f4dd https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3b4035ddbfc8e4521f85569998a7569668cccf51 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5cb300dcdd27e6a351ac02541e0231261c775852 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9cc7f0018609f75a349e42e3aebc3b0e905ba775 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b5741e4b9ef3567613b2351384f91d3f16e59986 https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e1dd09df30ba86716cb2ffab97dc35195c01eb8f

Other References

https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00045.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-21919? +

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sched/fair: Fix potential memory corruption in child_cfs_rq_on_list child_cfs_rq_on_list attempts to convert a 'prev' pointer to a cfs_rq. This 'prev' pointer can originate from struct rq's leaf_cfs_rq_list, making the conversion invalid and potentially leading to memory corruption. Depending on the relative positions of leaf_cfs_rq_list and the task group (tg) pointer within the struct, this can cause a memory fault or access garbage data. The issue arises in list_add_leaf_cfs_rq, where both cfs_rq->leaf_cfs_rq_list and rq->leaf_cfs_rq_list are added to the same leaf list. Also, rq->tmp_alone_branch can be set to rq->leaf_cfs_rq_list. This adds a check `if (prev == &rq->leaf_cfs_rq_list)` after the main conditional in child_cfs_rq_on_list. This ensures that the container_of operation will convert a correct cfs_rq struct. This check is sufficient because only cfs_rqs on the same CPU are added to the list, so verifying the 'prev' pointer against the current rq's list head is enough. Fixes a potential memory corruption issue that due to current struct layout might not be manifesting as a crash but could lead to unpredictable behavior when the layout changes. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2025-21919? +

CVE-2025-21919 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-2025-21919? +

CVE-2025-21919 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-2025-21919? +

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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