Linux Kernel up to 6.14-rc3 nfp_app_ctrl_msg_alloc null pointer dereference

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.129/6.6.79/6.12.16/6.13.4/6.14-rc3. This affects the function nfp_app_ctrl_msg_alloc. This manipulation causes null pointer dereference. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2025-21848. No exploit exists. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.1.129/6.6.79/6.12.16/6.13.4/6.14-rc3. It has been declared as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is the function nfp_app_ctrl_msg_alloc. 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. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: nfp: bpf: Add check for nfp_app_ctrl_msg_alloc() Add check for the return value of nfp_app_ctrl_msg_alloc() in nfp_bpf_cmsg_alloc() to prevent null pointer dereference.

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2025-21848 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 234058 (SUSE SLES15 / openSUSE 15 Security Update : kernel (SUSE-SU-2025:1178-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.1.130, 6.6.80, 6.12.17, 6.13.5 or 6.14-rc4 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 1358d8e07afdf21d49ca6f00c56048442977e00a/29ccb1e4040da6ff02b7e64efaa2f8e6bf06020d/897c32cd763fd11d0b6ed024c52f44d2475bb820/bd97f60750bb581f07051f98e31dfda59d3a783b/878e7b11736e062514e58f3b445ff343e6705537 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 (234058) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-0545). Be aware that VulDB is the high quality 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
• SolarWinds Security Event Manager
• Open Source Linux Kernel

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.1.129
• 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
• 6.6.78
• 6.6.79
• 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
• 6.12.14
• 6.12.15
• 6.12.16
• 6.13.0
• 6.13.1
• 6.13.2
• 6.13.3
• 6.13.4
• 6.14-rc1
• 6.14-rc2
• 6.14-rc3

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Entryinfo

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