Skip to content
Fencer Vulns
medium 5.5

CVE-2025-21853 json

bpf: avoid holding freeze_mutex during mmap operation

published 2025-03-12 19 mo ago modified 2026-11-05 3 d ago also EUVD-2025-6392

cvss
5.5
version 3.1, NVD
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
0.2%
EPSS 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 16%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

bpf: avoid holding freeze_mutex during mmap operation

We use map->freeze_mutex to prevent races between map_freeze() and memory mapping BPF map contents with writable permissions. The way we naively do this means we'll hold freeze_mutex for entire duration of all the mm and VMA manipulations, which is completely unnecessary. This can potentially also lead to deadlocks, as reported by syzbot in [0].

So, instead, hold freeze_mutex only during writeability checks, bump (proactively) "write active" count for the map, unlock the mutex and proceed with mmap logic. And only if something went wrong during mmap logic, then undo that "write active" counter increment.

[0] https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/678dcbc9.050a0220.303755.0066.GAE@google.com/

Patch / fix

  • Linux Linux 5.10.237, 5.15.181, 6.1.135, 6.6.80, 6.12.17, 6.13.5, 6.14
  • linux Debian 12 6.1.135-1
  • linux Debian 14, Debian 13 6.12.17-1

debian advisories DEBIAN-CVE-2025-21853

  • linux Ubuntu 22.04 LTS 5.15.0-144.157
  • linux Ubuntu 24.04 LTS 6.8.0-78.78
  • linux-aws Ubuntu 22.04 LTS 5.15.0-1088.95
  • linux-aws Ubuntu 24.04 LTS 6.8.0-1035.37
  • linux-gcp Ubuntu 22.04 LTS 5.15.0-1087.96
  • linux-gcp Ubuntu 24.04 LTS 6.8.0-1036.38
  • linux-gke Ubuntu 22.04 LTS 5.15.0-1085.91
  • linux-gke Ubuntu 24.04 LTS 6.8.0-1032.36

ubuntu advisories UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853

Ubuntu security data © Canonical Ltd., from https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices via OSV; changed: normalised to fixed package versions per release. CC BY-SA 4.0

  • kernel RHEL 9 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7
  • rv RHEL 9 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7
  • perf RHEL 9 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7
  • rtla RHEL 9 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7
  • libperf RHEL 9 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7
  • kernel-rt RHEL 9 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7
  • kernel-64k RHEL 9 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7
  • kernel-core RHEL 9 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7

red hat advisories RHSA-2025:20518RHSA-2025:20095

  • kernel-rt Real Time Module 15 SP7 6.4.0-150700.7.3.1
  • kernel-syms-rt Real Time Module 15 SP7 6.4.0-150700.7.3.1
  • kernel-rt_debug Real Time Module 15 SP7 6.4.0-150700.7.3.1
  • kernel-source-rt Real Time Module 15 SP7 6.4.0-150700.7.3.1
  • kernel-azure SLE Module for Public Cloud 15 SP7 6.4.0-150700.20.3.1
  • kernel-syms-azure SLE Module for Public Cloud 15 SP7 6.4.0-150700.20.3.1
  • kernel-source-azure SLE Module for Public Cloud 15 SP7 6.4.0-150700.20.3.1
  • kernel-rt Real Time Module 15 SP6, openSUSE Leap 15.6 6.4.0-150600.10.39.1

suse advisories SUSE-SU-2025:01972-1SUSE-SU-2025:01967-1SUSE-SU-2025:01964-1SUSE-SU-2025:01951-1SUSE-SU-2025:01919-1SUSE-SU-2025:01707-1

  • kernel AlmaLinux 10 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
  • rv AlmaLinux 10 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
  • perf AlmaLinux 10 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
  • rtla AlmaLinux 10 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
  • libperf AlmaLinux 10 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
  • kernel-rt AlmaLinux 10 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
  • kernel-64k AlmaLinux 10 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
  • kernel-core AlmaLinux 10 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1

almalinux advisories ALSA-2025:20095ALSA-2025:20518

  • kernel Rocky Linux 10 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
  • kernel Rocky Linux 9 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7

rocky linux advisories RLSA-2025:20095RLSA-2025:20518

  • kernel Azure Linux 3.0 6.6.82.1-1
  • kernel CBL-Mariner 2.0 5.15.182.1-1

azure linux advisories AZL-58487AZL-58536

Azure Linux vulnerability data, Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation, from https://github.com/microsoft/AzureLinuxVulnerabilityData via OSV, under the MIT licence; changed: normalised to fixed package versions per release. MIT

Vendor advisories

What the vendors themselves say about their products: affected, fixed or not affected, and what to do.

red hat product security vex CVE-2025-21853 updated cvss 4.4

kernel: bpf: avoid holding freeze_mutex during mmap operation

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 perf, kernel, bpftool, kernel-rt, python-perf, kernel-kdump, +8 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 perf, kernel, bpftool, kernel-rt, kernel-core, kernel-tools, +29 more
    affected: no fix planned “Out of support scope”
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) rv 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, perf 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, rtla 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, python3-perf 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-devel-matched 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-64k-devel-matched 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, +7 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2025:20518
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 10) rv 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, perf 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, rtla 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, python3-perf 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-devel-matched 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-64k-devel-matched 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, +7 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2025:20095
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) kernel 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-64k 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-core 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-tools 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-modules 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-64k-core 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, +27 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2025:20518
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 10) kernel 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-64k 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-core 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-tools 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-modules 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-64k-core 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, +28 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2025:20095
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) libperf 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-debuginfo-common-s390x 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64le 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2025:20518
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 10) libperf 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-debuginfo-common-s390x 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64le 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2025:20095
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) kernel-rt 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-rt-64k 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-rt-core 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-rt-modules 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-rt-64k-core 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-rt-debug-core 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, +14 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2025:20518
show 4 more
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 10) kernel-rt 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-64k 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-core 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-modules 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-64k-core 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-debug-core 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, +14 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2025:20095
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) kernel-rt 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-rt-core 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-rt-modules 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-rt-debug-core 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-rt-modules-core 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-rt-debug-modules 5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, +4 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2025:20518
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 10) kernel-rt 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-core 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-modules 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-debug-core 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-modules-core 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-debug-modules 6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, +4 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2025:20095
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 perf, kernel, python-perf, kernel-kdump, kernel-firmware, kernel-bootwrapper, +1 more
    not affected: vulnerable code not present

Red Hat CSAF VEX © Red Hat, Inc., from https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/; changed: reduced to product statuses and remediations. CC BY 4.0 · csaf

cisa ICSA-26-295-11 updated cvss 4.4

Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518(F)-4 PN/DP MFP

  • Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4AX00-1AB0) >= 3.1.7 Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4AX00-1AC0) >= 3.1.7 Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4FX00-1AB0) >= 3.1.7 Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4FX00-1AC0) >= 3.1.7 Siemens SIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6AG1518-4AX00-4AC0) >= 3.1.7
    affected: mitigation, no fix available

Facts from CISA's republication of the vendor's own advisory (CSAF); the linked advisory is the authoritative source. CISA notification · csaf

cisa ICSA-26-209-04 updated cvss 4.4

Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518(F)-4 PN/DP MFP

  • Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4AX00-1AB0) >= 3.1.6 Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4AX00-1AC0) >= 3.1.6 Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4FX00-1AB0) >= 3.1.6 Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP (6ES7518-4FX00-1AC0) >= 3.1.6 Siemens SIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP (6AG1518-4AX00-4AC0) >= 3.1.6
    affected: mitigation, no fix available

Facts from CISA's republication of the vendor's own advisory (CSAF); the linked advisory is the authoritative source. CISA notification · csaf

CISA SSVC

Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
partial
Assessed
3 d ago

Exploit prediction

0.25% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 16% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
NVD 3.1 5.5 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Affected products

  • Linux Linux
  • Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP
  • Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP
  • Siemens SIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP

Classification

Technology feeds

References

Sources

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.