Linux Kernel up to 6.1.128/6.6.77/6.12.13/6.13.2 brcmfmac brcmf_txfinalize null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.128/6.6.77/6.12.13/6.13.2 and classified as critical. The impacted element is the function brcmf_txfinalize of the component brcmfmac. Executing a manipulation can lead to null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2025-21744. No exploit is available. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.128/6.6.77/6.12.13/6.13.2. It has been declared as critical. This vulnerability affects the function brcmf_txfinalize of the component brcmfmac. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a null pointer dereference vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is 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. As an impact it is known to affect availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: brcmfmac: fix NULL pointer dereference in brcmf_txfinalize() On removal of the device or unloading of the kernel module a potential NULL pointer dereference occurs. The following sequence deletes the interface: brcmf_detach() brcmf_remove_interface() brcmf_del_if() Inside the brcmf_del_if() function the drvr->if2bss[ifidx] is updated to BRCMF_BSSIDX_INVALID (-1) if the bsscfgidx matches. After brcmf_remove_interface() call the brcmf_proto_detach() function is called providing the following sequence: brcmf_detach() brcmf_proto_detach() brcmf_proto_msgbuf_detach() brcmf_flowring_detach() brcmf_msgbuf_delete_flowring() brcmf_msgbuf_remove_flowring() brcmf_flowring_delete() brcmf_get_ifp() brcmf_txfinalize() Since brcmf_get_ip() can and actually will return NULL in this case the call to brcmf_txfinalize() will result in a NULL pointer dereference inside brcmf_txfinalize() when trying to update ifp->ndev->stats.tx_errors. This will only happen if a flowring still has an skb. Although the NULL pointer dereference has only been seen when trying to update the tx statistic, all other uses of the ifp pointer have been guarded as well with an early return if ifp is NULL.

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2025-21744 since 12/29/2024. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 230780 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-21744), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.1.129, 6.6.78, 6.12.14, 6.13.3 or 6.14-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 4e51d6d093e763348916e69d06d87e0a5593661b/3877fc67bd3d5566cc12763bce39710ceb74a97d/fbbfef2a5b858eab55741a58b2ac9a0cc8d53c58/a2beefc4fa49ebc22e664dc6b39dbd054f8488f9/68abd0c4ebf24cd499841a488b97a6873d5efabb 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 (230780) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-0453). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• Google Container-Optimized OS
• Debian Linux
• Amazon Linux 2
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Ubuntu Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Oracle Linux
• Siemens SIMATIC S7
• RESF Rocky Linux
• Dell NetWorker
• Dell Avamar
• Red Hat OpenShift
• IBM QRadar SIEM
• SolarWinds Security Event Manager
• Dell PowerProtect Data Domain
• Open Source Linux Kernel
• IBM DataPower Gateway
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway
• Dell PowerScale OneFS
• Dell ECS

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.1.128
• 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
• 6.6.74
• 6.6.75
• 6.6.76
• 6.6.77
• 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
• 6.12.11
• 6.12.12
• 6.12.13
• 6.13.0
• 6.13.1
• 6.13.2

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

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

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