Vulnerability · Published Feb 27, 2025 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2025-21796nfsd: clear acl_access/acl_default after releasing them

Critical 9.8

In plain English

A critical-severity use-after-free 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 0.7% (higher than 52% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS 3.1)9.8Critical
Exploit odds (30 days)0.7%top 47.7% 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: nfsd: clear acl_access/acl_default after releasing them If getting acl_default fails, acl_access and acl_default will be released simultaneously. However, acl_access will still retain a pointer pointing to the released posix_acl, which will trigger a WARNING in nfs3svc_release_getacl like this: ------------[ cut here ]------------ refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free. WARNING: CPU: 26 PID: 3199 at lib/refcount.c:28 refcount_warn_saturate+0xb5/0x170 Modules linked in: CPU: 26 UID: 0 PID: 3199 Comm: nfsd Not tainted 6.12.0-rc6-00079-g04ae226af01f-dirty #8 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS 1.16.1-2.fc37 04/01/2014 RIP: 0010:refcount_warn_saturate+0xb5/0x170 Code: cc cc 0f b6 1d b3 20 a5 03 80 fb 01 0f 87 65 48 d8 00 83 e3 01 75 e4 48 c7 c7 c0 3b 9b 85 c6 05 97 20 a5 03 01 e8 fb 3e 30 ff <0f> 0b eb cd 0f b6 1d 8a3 RSP: 0018:ffffc90008637cd8 EFLAGS: 00010282 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: ffffffff83904fde RDX: dffffc0000000000 RSI: 0000000000000008 RDI: ffff88871ed36380 RBP: ffff888158beeb40 R08: 0000000000000001 R09: fffff520010c6f56 R10: ffffc90008637ab7 R11: 0000000000000001 R12: 0000000000000001 R13: ffff888140e77400 R14: ffff888140e77408 R15: ffffffff858b42c0 FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff88871ed00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 0000562384d32158 CR3: 000000055cc6a000 CR4: 00000000000006f0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 Call Trace: <TASK> ? refcount_warn_saturate+0xb5/0x170 ? __warn+0xa5/0x140 ? refcount_warn_saturate+0xb5/0x170 ? report_bug+0x1b1/0x1e0 ? handle_bug+0x53/0xa0 ? exc_invalid_op+0x17/0x40 ? asm_exc_invalid_op+0x1a/0x20 ? tick_nohz_tick_stopped+0x1e/0x40 ? refcount_warn_saturate+0xb5/0x170 ? refcount_warn_saturate+0xb5/0x170 nfs3svc_release_getacl+0xc9/0xe0 svc_process_common+0x5db/0xb60 ? __pfx_svc_process_common+0x10/0x10 ? __rcu_read_unlock+0x69/0xa0 ? __pfx_nfsd_dispatch+0x10/0x10 ? svc_xprt_received+0xa1/0x120 ? xdr_init_decode+0x11d/0x190 svc_process+0x2a7/0x330 svc_handle_xprt+0x69d/0x940 svc_recv+0x180/0x2d0 nfsd+0x168/0x200 ? __pfx_nfsd+0x10/0x10 kthread+0x1a2/0x1e0 ? kthread+0xf4/0x1e0 ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 ret_from_fork+0x34/0x60 ? __pfx_kthread+0x10/0x10 ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 </TASK> Kernel panic - not syncing: kernel: panic_on_warn set ... Clear acl_access/acl_default after posix_acl_release is called to prevent UAF from being triggered.

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:12linux6.1.129-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-21796
Debian:13linux6.12.16-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-21796
Debian:14linux6.12.16-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux5.15.0-140.150UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux6.8.0-78.78USN-7703-1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux6.8.0-78.78UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws5.15.0-1084.91UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws6.8.0-1035.37USN-7703-1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws6.8.0-1035.37UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.86.8.0-1035.37~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.86.8.0-1035.37~22.04.1USN-7703-2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure5.15.0-1089.98UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure6.8.0-1034.39UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.116.11.0-1015.15~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.86.8.0-1034.39~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde5.15.0-1089.98.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidia6.8.0-1022.23UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp5.15.0-1083.92UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp6.8.0-1036.38USN-7703-2
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp6.8.0-1036.38UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.116.11.0-1015.15~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.86.8.0-1036.38~22.04.1USN-7703-2
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.86.8.0-1036.38~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gke5.15.0-1081.87UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gke6.8.0-1032.36UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gke6.8.0-1032.36USN-7703-4
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gkeop5.15.0-1066.74UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeop6.8.0-1019.21USN-7703-2
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeop6.8.0-1019.21UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.116.11.0-26.26~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.86.8.0-78.78~22.04.1USN-7703-4
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.86.8.0-78.78~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm5.15.0-1076.79UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-ibm6.8.0-1033.33USN-7703-2
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-ibm6.8.0-1033.33UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm-6.86.8.0-1033.33~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm-6.86.8.0-1033.33~22.04.1USN-7703-2
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-intelno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iotg5.15.0-1079.85UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-kvm5.15.0-1080.85UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency5.15.0-140.150UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency6.8.0-78.78.1USN-7703-1
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency6.8.0-78.78.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.116.11.0-1014.15~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.86.8.0-78.78.1~22.04.1USN-7703-1
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.86.8.0-78.78.1~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia5.15.0-1078.79UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia6.8.0-1035.38USN-7703-4
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia6.8.0-1035.38UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.116.11.0-1010.10UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.86.8.0-1035.38~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.86.8.0-1035.38~22.04.1USN-7703-4
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-lowlatency6.8.0-1035.38.1USN-7703-4
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-lowlatency6.8.0-1035.38.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra5.15.0-1037.37UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra6.8.0-1009.9UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra-igx5.15.0-1026.26UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.116.11.0-1022.22UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle5.15.0-1081.87UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle6.8.0-1032.33UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle6.8.0-1032.33USN-7703-3
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.86.8.0-1032.33~22.04.1USN-7703-3
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.86.8.0-1032.33~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-raspi5.15.0-1078.81UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi6.8.0-1035.39UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi6.8.0-1035.39USN-7703-4
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.86.8.0-78.78~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-xilinx6.8.0-1017.18UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-xilinx-zynqmp5.15.0-1050.54UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21796

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux a257cdd0e2179630d3201c32ba14d7fcb3c3a055 – before 8a1737ae42c928384ab6447f6ee1a882510e85faa257cdd0e2179630d3201c32ba14d7fcb3c3a055 – before 6f7cfee1a316891890c505563aa54f3476db52fda257cdd0e2179630d3201c32ba14d7fcb3c3a055 – before 2e59b2b68782519560b3d6a41dd66a3d01a01cd3a257cdd0e2179630d3201c32ba14d7fcb3c3a055 – before 55d947315fb5f67a35e4e1d3e01bb886b9c6decfa257cdd0e2179630d3201c32ba14d7fcb3c3a055 – before f8d871523142f7895f250a856f8c4a4181614510a257cdd0e2179630d3201c32ba14d7fcb3c3a055 – before 1fd94884174bd20beb1773990fd3b1aa877688d9a257cdd0e2179630d3201c32ba14d7fcb3c3a055 – before 7faf14a7b0366f153284db0ad3347c457ea70136
Linux Linux 2.6.13

Weakness: CWE-416 · Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

References