Linux: Out-of-bounds Read
CVE-2025-21905 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 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 38f0d398b6d7640d223db69df022c4a232f24774, c0e626f2b2390472afac52dfe72b29daf9ed8e1d, 47616b82f2d42ea2060334746fed9a2988d845c9 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 0.24% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to 38f0d398b6d7640d223db69df022c4a232f24774 or c0e626f2b2390472afac52dfe72b29daf9ed8e1d or 47616b82f2d42ea2060334746fed9a2988d845c9 or 88ed69f924638c7503644e1f8eed1e976f3ffa7a, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 5.4.291 or 5.10.235 or 5.15.179 or 6.1.131, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | aee1b6385e29e472ae5592b9652b750a29bf702e up to, but not including, 38f0d398b6d7640d223db69df022c4a232f24774; aee1b6385e29e472ae5592b9652b750a29bf702e up to, but not including, c0e626f2b2390472afac52dfe72b29daf9ed8e1d; aee1b6385e29e472ae5592b9652b750a29bf702e up to, but not including, 47616b82f2d42ea2060334746fed9a2988d845c9; aee1b6385e29e472ae5592b9652b750a29bf702e up to, but not including, 88ed69f924638c7503644e1f8eed1e976f3ffa7a; aee1b6385e29e472ae5592b9652b750a29bf702e up to, but not including, b02f8d5a71c8571ccf77f285737c566db73ef5e5; aee1b6385e29e472ae5592b9652b750a29bf702e up to, but not including, f265e6031d0bc4fc40c4619cb42466722b46eaa9; aee1b6385e29e472ae5592b9652b750a29bf702e up to, but not including, 59cdda202829d1d6a095d233386870a59aff986f; aee1b6385e29e472ae5592b9652b750a29bf702e up to, but not including, e0dc2c1bef722cbf16ae557690861e5f91208129; and 1 more ranges | 38f0d398b6d7640d223db69df022c4a232f24774, c0e626f2b2390472afac52dfe72b29daf9ed8e1d, 47616b82f2d42ea2060334746fed9a2988d845c9, 88ed69f924638c7503644e1f8eed1e976f3ffa7a, b02f8d5a71c8571ccf77f285737c566db73ef5e5, f265e6031d0bc4fc40c4619cb42466722b46eaa9 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 5.2 up to, but not including, 5.4.291; 5.5 up to, but not including, 5.10.235; 5.11 up to, but not including, 5.15.179; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.131; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.83; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.12.19; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.13.7; 6.14 | 5.4.291, 5.10.235, 5.15.179, 6.1.131, 6.6.83, 6.12.19 |
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
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- 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:N/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.1 | High | NVD |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.1 | High | CISA (ADP) |
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: iwlwifi: limit printed string from FW file There's no guarantee here that the file is always with a NUL-termination, so reading the string may read beyond the end of the TLV. If that's the last TLV in the file, it can perhaps even read beyond the end of the file buffer. Fix that by limiting the print format to the size of the buffer we have.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Read
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a language that provides appropriate memory abstractions.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/38f0d398b6d7640d223db69df022c4a232f24774
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/47616b82f2d42ea2060334746fed9a2988d845c9
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/59cdda202829d1d6a095d233386870a59aff986f
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/88ed69f924638c7503644e1f8eed1e976f3ffa7a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b02f8d5a71c8571ccf77f285737c566db73ef5e5
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c0e626f2b2390472afac52dfe72b29daf9ed8e1d
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e0dc2c1bef722cbf16ae557690861e5f91208129
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f265e6031d0bc4fc40c4619cb42466722b46eaa9
Other references
Recent Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
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