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TI-2025-15839 Aliases CVE-2025-21889GHSA-mcf6-fpvv-xxr4

perf/core: Add RCU read lock protection to perf_iterate_ctx()

Priority LOW 35Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 4 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf/core: Add RCU read lock protection to perf_iterate_ctx() The perf_iterate_ctx() function performs RCU list traversal but currently lacks RCU read lock protection. This causes lockdep warnings when running perf probe with unshare(1) under CONFIG_PROVE_RCU_LIST=y: WARNING: suspicious RCU usage kernel/events/core.c:8168 RCU-list traversed in non-reader section!! Call Trace: lockdep_rcu_suspicious ? perf_event_addr_filters_apply perf_iterate_ctx perf_event_exec begin_new_exec ? load_elf_phdrs load_elf_binary ? lock_acquire ? find_held_lock ? bprm_execve bprm_execve do_execveat_common.isra.0 __x64_sys_execve do_syscall_64 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe This protection was previously present but was removed in commit bd2756811766 ("perf: Rewrite core context handling"). Add back the necessary rcu_read_lock()/rcu_read_unlock() pair around perf_iterate_ctx() call in perf_event_exec(). [ mingo: Use scoped_guard() as suggested by Peter ]

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00205 10th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 6.6.81, 6.12.18, 6.13.6 +1Red Hat: 4 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
LinuxLinux6.2 and later6.6.81, 6.12.18, 6.13.6, 6.14Patch availableCNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.2 and later Fixed in 6.6.81, 6.12.18, 6.13.6, 6.14 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 5

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*6.2 to before 6.6.81; 6.7 to before 6.12.18; 6.13 to before 6.13.6VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*6.14 rc1VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*6.14 rc2VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*6.14 rc3VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*6.14 rc4VulnerableLinux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.2 to before 6.6.81; 6.7 to before 6.12.18; 6.13 to before 6.13.6 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.14 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.14 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.14 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.14:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.14 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.6.81, 6.12.18, 6.13.6, 6.14

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

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

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Not affected: 1 product
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-21889
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-mcf6-fpvv-xxr4
  3. 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed

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