Linux Kernel up to 5.15.176/6.1.126/6.6.73/6.12.10 connect null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.176/6.1.126/6.6.73/6.12.10 and classified as problematic. Impacted is the function connect. Performing a manipulation results in null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2025-21669. No exploit is available. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as problematic has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.176/6.1.126/6.6.73/6.12.10. This affects the function connect. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-476. A NULL pointer dereference occurs when the application dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid, but is NULL, typically causing a crash or exit. This is going to have an impact on availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: vsock/virtio: discard packets if the transport changes If the socket has been de-assigned or assigned to another transport, we must discard any packets received because they are not expected and would cause issues when we access vsk->transport. A possible scenario is described by Hyunwoo Kim in the attached link, where after a first connect() interrupted by a signal, and a second connect() failed, we can find `vsk->transport` at NULL, leading to a NULL pointer dereference.

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2025-21669 since 12/29/2024. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 215144 (Debian dsa-5860 : affs-modules-6.1.0-21-4kc-malta-di - security update), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.15.177, 6.1.127, 6.6.74 or 6.12.11 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 6486915fa661584d70e8e7e4068c6c075c67dd6d/88244163bc7e7b0ce9dd7bf4c8a563b41525c3ee/d88b249e14bd0ee1e46bbe4f456e22e01b8c68de/677579b641af109613564460a4e3bdcb16850b61/2cb7c756f605ec02ffe562fb26828e4bcc5fdfc1 is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (215144) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2855). Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• IBM DataPower Gateway
• Dell PowerScale OneFS

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.15.176
• 6.1.126
• 6.6.0
• 6.6.1
• 6.6.2
• 6.6.3
• 6.6.4
• 6.6.5
• 6.6.6
• 6.6.7
• 6.6.8
• 6.6.9
• 6.6.10
• 6.6.11
• 6.6.12
• 6.6.13
• 6.6.14
• 6.6.15
• 6.6.16
• 6.6.17
• 6.6.18
• 6.6.19
• 6.6.20
• 6.6.21
• 6.6.22
• 6.6.23
• 6.6.24
• 6.6.25
• 6.6.26
• 6.6.27
• 6.6.28
• 6.6.29
• 6.6.30
• 6.6.31
• 6.6.32
• 6.6.33
• 6.6.34
• 6.6.35
• 6.6.36
• 6.6.37
• 6.6.38
• 6.6.39
• 6.6.40
• 6.6.41
• 6.6.42
• 6.6.43
• 6.6.44
• 6.6.45
• 6.6.46
• 6.6.47
• 6.6.48
• 6.6.49
• 6.6.50
• 6.6.51
• 6.6.52
• 6.6.53
• 6.6.54
• 6.6.55
• 6.6.56
• 6.6.57
• 6.6.58
• 6.6.59
• 6.6.60
• 6.6.61
• 6.6.62
• 6.6.63
• 6.6.64
• 6.6.65
• 6.6.66
• 6.6.67
• 6.6.68
• 6.6.69
• 6.6.70
• 6.6.71
• 6.6.72
• 6.6.73
• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1
• 6.12.2
• 6.12.3
• 6.12.4
• 6.12.5
• 6.12.6
• 6.12.7
• 6.12.8
• 6.12.9
• 6.12.10

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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CVSSv4info

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CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

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