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TI-2025-15649 Aliases CVE-2025-21693GHSA-jqr2-rwpf-xrf3

mm: zswap: properly synchronize freeing resources during CPU hotunplug

Priority LOW 35CWE-416Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Code execution
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 10 fixed, 1 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-416 and the CVSS impact.

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm: zswap: properly synchronize freeing resources during CPU hotunplug In zswap_compress() and zswap_decompress(), the per-CPU acomp_ctx of the current CPU at the beginning of the operation is retrieved and used throughout. However, since neither preemption nor migration are disabled, it is possible that the operation continues on a different CPU. If the original CPU is hotunplugged while the acomp_ctx is still in use, we run into a UAF bug as some of the resources attached to the acomp_ctx are freed during hotunplug in zswap_cpu_comp_dead() (i.e. acomp_ctx.buffer, acomp_ctx.req, or acomp_ctx.acomp). The problem was introduced in commit 1ec3b5fe6eec ("mm/zswap: move to use crypto_acomp API for hardware acceleration") when the switch to the crypto_acomp API was made. Prior to that, the per-CPU crypto_comp was retrieved using get_cpu_ptr() which disables preemption and makes sure the CPU cannot go away from under us. Preemption cannot be disabled with the crypto_acomp API as a sleepable context is needed. Use the acomp_ctx.mutex to synchronize CPU hotplug callbacks allocating and freeing resources with compression/decompression paths. Make sure that acomp_ctx.req is NULL when the resources are freed. In the compression/decompression paths, check if acomp_ctx.req is NULL after acquiring the mutex (meaning the CPU was offlined) and retry on the new CPU. The initialization of acomp_ctx.mutex is moved from the CPU hotplug callback to the pool initialization where it belongs (where the mutex is allocated). In addition to adding clarity, this makes sure that CPU hotplug cannot reinitialize a mutex that is already locked by compression/decompression. Previously a fix was attempted by holding cpus_read_lock() [1]. This would have caused a potential deadlock as it is possible for code already holding the lock to fall into reclaim and enter zswap (causing a deadlock). A fix was also attempted using SRCU for synchronization, but Johannes pointed out that synchronize_srcu() cannot be used in CPU hotplug notifiers [2]. Alternative fixes that were considered/attempted and could have worked: - Refcounting the per-CPU acomp_ctx. This involves complexity in handling the race between the refcount dropping to zero in zswap_[de]compress() and the refcount being re-initialized when the CPU is onlined. - Disabling migration before getting the per-CPU acomp_ctx [3], but that's discouraged and is a much bigger hammer than needed, and could result in subtle performance issues. [1]https://lkml.kernel.org/[email protected]/ [2]https://lkml.kernel.org/[email protected]/ [3]https://lkml.kernel.org/[email protected]/ [[email protected]: remove comment]

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00203 10th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 6.12.12, 6.13Red Hat: 2 advisoriesRed Hat: 10 fixed, 1 without a fix

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
LinuxLinux5.11 and later6.12.12, 6.13Patch availableCNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.11 and later Fixed in 6.12.12, 6.13 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 8

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*5.11 to before 6.12.12VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*6.13 rc1VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*6.13 rc2VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*6.13 rc3VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*6.13 rc4VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*6.13 rc5VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*6.13 rc6VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:*6.13 rc7VulnerableLinux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.11 to before 6.12.12 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.13 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.13 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.13 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.13 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.13 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.13 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.13:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.13 rc7 Vulnerable ·Linux

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.12.12, 6.13

Red Hat 2 advisories

  • RHSA-2025:20518 Released 2025-11-11 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    kernel security update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) kernel-64k-debug-devel-5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-64k-devel-5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7 +12
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) kernel-5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-64k-5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-64k-core-5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7 +28
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, libperf-5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-rt-64k-5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-rt-64k-core-5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7 +21
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-611.5.1.el9_7 +9
  • RHSA-2025:20095 Released 2025-11-11 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    kernel security update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 10) kernel-64k-debug-devel-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-64k-devel-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1 +12
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 10) kernel-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-64k-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-64k-core-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1 +29
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 10) kernel-tools-libs-devel-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, libperf-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 10) kernel-rt-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-64k-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-64k-core-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1 +21
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 10) kernel-rt-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-core-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-debug-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1 +9

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 10)Fixed RHSA-2025:20095
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2025:20518
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 10)Fixed RHSA-2025:20095
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2025:20518
Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 10)Fixed RHSA-2025:20095
Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2025:20518
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 10)Fixed RHSA-2025:20095
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2025:20518
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 10)Fixed RHSA-2025:20095
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2025:20518
Not affected: 2 products
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-21693
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-jqr2-rwpf-xrf3
  3. 2026-10-29 Affected versions changed · Red Hat

References

  • TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
  • TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
  • TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
See all 15278 →

Sources