Vulnerability · Published Mar 12, 2025 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2025-21853bpf: avoid holding freeze_mutex during mmap operation

Medium 5.5

In plain English

A medium-severity security flaw in Linux from Linux. There are no confirmed reports of exploitation so far. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.2% (higher than 16% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS NVD)5.5Medium
Exploit odds (30 days)0.2%top 83.8% of all CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo reportsCISA SSVC: none
Attack toolingNoneno public tooling known

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: avoid holding freeze_mutex during mmap operation We use map->freeze_mutex to prevent races between map_freeze() and memory mapping BPF map contents with writable permissions. The way we naively do this means we'll hold freeze_mutex for entire duration of all the mm and VMA manipulations, which is completely unnecessary. This can potentially also lead to deadlocks, as reported by syzbot in [0]. So, instead, hold freeze_mutex only during writeability checks, bump (proactively) "write active" count for the map, unlock the mutex and proceed with mmap logic. And only if something went wrong during mmap logic, then undo that "write active" counter increment. [0] https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/678dcbc9.050a0220.303755.0066.GAE@google.com/

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:12linux6.1.135-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-21853
Debian:12linux6.1.135-1DSA-5907-1
Debian:13linux6.12.17-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-21853
Debian:14linux6.12.17-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux5.15.0-144.157USN-7654-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux5.15.0-144.157UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux6.8.0-78.78UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws5.15.0-1088.95UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws5.15.0-1088.95USN-7654-1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws6.8.0-1035.37UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.86.8.0-1035.37~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure5.15.0-1094.103UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure5.15.0-1094.103USN-7711-1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure6.8.0-1034.39UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.116.11.0-1015.15~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.86.8.0-1034.39~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde5.15.0-1094.103.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidia6.8.0-1022.23UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp5.15.0-1087.96UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp5.15.0-1087.96USN-7654-1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp6.8.0-1036.38UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.116.11.0-1015.15~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.86.8.0-1036.38~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gke5.15.0-1085.91UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gke5.15.0-1085.91USN-7654-1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gke6.8.0-1032.36UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeop5.15.0-1070.78UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeop5.15.0-1070.78USN-7654-1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeop6.8.0-1019.21UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.116.11.0-26.26~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.86.8.0-78.78~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm5.15.0-1080.83UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm5.15.0-1080.83USN-7654-1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-ibm6.8.0-1033.33UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm-6.86.8.0-1033.33~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-intelno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iotg5.15.0-1083.89UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iotg5.15.0-1083.89USN-7654-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-kvm5.15.0-1084.89USN-7654-4
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-kvm5.15.0-1084.89UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency5.15.0-144.157USN-7654-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency5.15.0-144.157UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency6.8.0-78.78.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.116.11.0-1014.15~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.86.8.0-78.78.1~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia5.15.0-1082.83USN-7654-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia5.15.0-1082.83UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia6.8.0-1035.38UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.116.11.0-1010.10UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.86.8.0-1035.38~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-lowlatency6.8.0-1035.38.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra5.15.0-1041.41UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra5.15.0-1041.41USN-7654-1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra6.8.0-1009.9UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra-igx5.15.0-1030.30USN-7654-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra-igx5.15.0-1030.30UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.116.11.0-1022.22UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle5.15.0-1085.91UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle5.15.0-1085.91USN-7654-1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle6.8.0-1032.33UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.86.8.0-1032.33~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-raspi5.15.0-1083.86USN-7686-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-raspi5.15.0-1083.86UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi6.8.0-1035.39UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.86.8.0-78.78~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-xilinx6.8.0-1017.18UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-xilinx-zynqmp5.15.0-1052.56USN-7654-5
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-xilinx-zynqmp5.15.0-1052.56UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21853

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux fc9702273e2edb90400a34b3be76f7b08fa3344b – before 2ce31c97c219b4fe797749f950274f246eb88c49fc9702273e2edb90400a34b3be76f7b08fa3344b – before 0d90d9e154144a3a80e9fc0eb9b21b7fc990f68ffc9702273e2edb90400a34b3be76f7b08fa3344b – before 4759acbd44d24a69b7b14848012ec4201d6c5501fc9702273e2edb90400a34b3be76f7b08fa3344b – before 29cfda62ab4d92ab94123813db49ab76c1e61b29fc9702273e2edb90400a34b3be76f7b08fa3344b – before d95607a5f2f9bb08194c9deaf4a5f3e8ba59a9d4fc9702273e2edb90400a34b3be76f7b08fa3344b – before 271e49f8a58edba65bc2b1250a0abaa98c4bfdbefc9702273e2edb90400a34b3be76f7b08fa3344b – before bc27c52eea189e8f7492d40739b7746d67b65beb
Linux Linux 5.5

References