CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2025-21785NVD status: Modified

Linux: Out-of-bounds Write

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2025-21785 is a high-severity out-of-bounds write vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 4371ac7b494e933fffee2bd6265d18d73c4f05aa, e4fde33107351ec33f1a64188612fbc6ca659284, 88a3e6afaf002250220793df99404977d343db14 as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.27% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to 4371ac7b494e933fffee2bd6265d18d73c4f05aa or e4fde33107351ec33f1a64188612fbc6ca659284 or 88a3e6afaf002250220793df99404977d343db14 or 4ff25f0b18d1d0174c105e4620428bcdc1213860, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 6.1.129 or 6.6.79 or 6.12.16 or 6.13.4, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinux5d425c18653731af62831d30a4fa023d532657a9 up to, but not including, 4371ac7b494e933fffee2bd6265d18d73c4f05aa; 5d425c18653731af62831d30a4fa023d532657a9 up to, but not including, e4fde33107351ec33f1a64188612fbc6ca659284; 5d425c18653731af62831d30a4fa023d532657a9 up to, but not including, 88a3e6afaf002250220793df99404977d343db14; 5d425c18653731af62831d30a4fa023d532657a9 up to, but not including, 4ff25f0b18d1d0174c105e4620428bcdc1213860; 5d425c18653731af62831d30a4fa023d532657a9 up to, but not including, ab90894f33c15b14c1cee6959ab6c8dcb09127f8; 5d425c18653731af62831d30a4fa023d532657a9 up to, but not including, 715eb1af64779e1b1aa0a7b2ffb81414d9f708e5; 5d425c18653731af62831d30a4fa023d532657a9 up to, but not including, 67b99a2b5811df4294c2ad50f9bff3b6a08bd618; 5d425c18653731af62831d30a4fa023d532657a9 up to, but not including, 875d742cf5327c93cba1f11e12b08d3cce7a88d2; and 1 more ranges4371ac7b494e933fffee2bd6265d18d73c4f05aa, e4fde33107351ec33f1a64188612fbc6ca659284, 88a3e6afaf002250220793df99404977d343db14, 4ff25f0b18d1d0174c105e4620428bcdc1213860, ab90894f33c15b14c1cee6959ab6c8dcb09127f8, 715eb1af64779e1b1aa0a7b2ffb81414d9f708e5
LinuxLinux Kernel4.0 up to, but not including, 6.1.129; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.79; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.12.16; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.13.4; 6.146.1.129, 6.6.79, 6.12.16, 6.13.4

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.17.8HighCNA
CVSS 3.17.8HighNVD

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: arm64: cacheinfo: Avoid out-of-bounds write to cacheinfo array The loop that detects/populates cache information already has a bounds check on the array size but does not account for cache levels with separate data/instructions cache. Fix this by incrementing the index for any populated leaf (instead of any populated level).

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Write

The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, many languages that perform their own memory management, such as Java and Perl, are not subject to buffer overflows. Other languages, such as Ada and C#, typically provide overflow protection, but the protection can be disabled by the programmer. Be wary that a language's interface to native code may still be subject to overflows, even if the language itself is theoretically safe.
  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. Examples include the Safe C String Library (SafeStr) by Messier and Viega, and the Strsafe.h library from Microsoft. These libraries provide safer versions of overflow-prone string-handling functions.
  • Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND discusses canary-based detection in detail.

More Out-of-bounds Write vulnerabilities (CWE-787)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Out-of-bounds Write vulnerabilities

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