CVE-2025-21954: netmem: prevent TX of unreadable skbs
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2025-21954 is a critical (CVSS 9.8) vulnerability in linux. EPSS estimates a 0.51% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 43.2% of scored vulnerabilities.
Severe, CVSS 9.8 (CVE.org); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources; EPSS 1% (FIRST, 03-11-2026)
Source freshness unavailable
How is this decided?Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 1Timeline
- 01-04-2025PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 05-08-2026Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netmem: prevent TX of unreadable skbs Currently on stable trees we have support for netmem/devmem RX but not TX. It is not safe to forward/redirect an RX unreadable netmem packet into the device's TX path, as the device may call dma-mapping APIs on dma addrs that should not be passed to it. Fix this by preventing the xmit of unreadable skbs. Tested by configuring tc redirect: sudo tc qdisc add dev eth1 ingress sudo tc filter add dev eth1 ingress protocol ip prio 1 flower ip_proto \ tcp src_ip 192.168.1.12 action mirred egress redirect dev eth1 Before, I see unreadable skbs in the driver's TX path passed to dma mapping APIs. After, I don't see unreadable skbs in the driver's TX path passed to dma mapping APIs.
CVSS metrics
4 scores · 4 sources · 1 version- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated9.8CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- OSV · DebianEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HDiffers
- NVDNIST5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HDiffers
EPSS trend
Probability
0.51%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
43%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
Increase +0.01 pp
From 0.50% on 04-10-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogsNot in the CISA KEV catalog.
Not in the ENISA CNW catalog.
Not in the CIRCL catalog.
Public exploits
0 foundNo public exploits indexed.
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeAffected systems
Known conditions: network-reachable, no authentication, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.
Ubuntu77 products
- linux-allwinner-5.19All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-aws-5.0All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-aws-5.11All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-aws-5.13All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-aws-5.19All versions (No fix recorded)
Linux2 products
- linux≥ 65249feb6b3df9e17bab5911ee56fa7b0971e231, < 454825019d2f0c59e5174ece9e713f45ad80beff | ≥ 65249feb6b3df9e17bab5911ee56fa7b0971e231, < 1c17c8ced25c5fbe424c7ad7ea11d33014a986b1 | ≥ 65249feb6b3df9e17bab5911ee56fa7b0971e231, < f3600c867c99a2cc8038680ecf211089c50e7971 | 6.12
- linux_kernel≥ 6.12, < 6.12.20 | ≥ 6.13, < 6.13.8 | 6.14:rc1 | 6.14:rc2 | 6.14:rc3 | 6.14:rc4 | 6.14:rc5 | 6.14:rc6
Debian1 product
- linux< 6.12.20-1
3 vendors · 80 products