Linux KernelOperating system · Linux

CVE-2025-21706

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-02-27

Fix available

A fix is available. Upgrade to 6.1.129 / 6.6.78 or later.

See remediation →

57/100

Remediation priority · Elevated

Zero-click Patch available

Official description

NVD · unedited

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mptcp: pm: only set fullmesh for subflow endp With the in-kernel path-manager, it is possible to change the 'fullmesh' flag. The code in mptcp_pm_nl_fullmesh() expects to change it only on 'subflow' endpoints, to recreate more or less subflows using the linked address. Unfortunately, the set_flags() hook was a bit more permissive, and allowed 'implicit' endpoints to get the 'fullmesh' flag while it is not allowed before. That's what syzbot found, triggering the following warning: WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 6499 at net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1496 __mark_subflow_endp_available net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1496 [inline] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 6499 at net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1496 mptcp_pm_nl_fullmesh net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1980 [inline] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 6499 at net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1496 mptcp_nl_set_flags net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:2003 [inline] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 6499 at net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1496 mptcp_pm_nl_set_flags+0x974/0xdc0 net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:2064 Modules linked in: CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 6499 Comm: syz.1.413 Not tainted 6.13.0-rc5-syzkaller-00172-gd1bf27c4e176 #0 Hardware name: Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 09/13/2024 RIP: 0010:__mark_subflow_endp_available net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1496 [inline] RIP: 0010:mptcp_pm_nl_fullmesh net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1980 [inline] RIP: 0010:mptcp_nl_set_flags net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:2003 [inline] RIP: 0010:mptcp_pm_nl_set_flags+0x974/0xdc0 net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:2064 Code: 01 00 00 49 89 c5 e8 fb 45 e8 f5 e9 b8 fc ff ff e8 f1 45 e8 f5 4c 89 f7 be 03 00 00 00 e8 44 1d 0b f9 eb a0 e8 dd 45 e8 f5 90 <0f> 0b 90 e9 17 ff ff ff 89 d9 80 e1 07 38 c1 0f 8c c9 fc ff ff 48 RSP: 0018:ffffc9000d307240 EFLAGS: 00010293 RAX: ffffffff8bb72e03 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: ffff88807da88000 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000000000000 RDI: 0000000000000000 RBP: ffffc9000d307430 R08: ffffffff8bb72cf0 R09: 1ffff1100b842a5e R10: dffffc0000000000 R11: ffffed100b842a5f R12: ffff88801e2e5ac0 R13: ffff88805c214800 R14: ffff88805c2152e8 R15: 1ffff1100b842a5d FS: 00005555619f6500(0000) GS:ffff8880b8600000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 0000000020002840 CR3: 00000000247e6000 CR4: 00000000003526f0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 Call Trace: <TASK> genl_family_rcv_msg_doit net/netlink/genetlink.c:1115 [inline] genl_family_rcv_msg net/netlink/genetlink.c:1195 [inline] genl_rcv_msg+0xb14/0xec0 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1210 netlink_rcv_skb+0x1e3/0x430 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2542 genl_rcv+0x28/0x40 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1219 netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1321 [inline] netlink_unicast+0x7f6/0x990 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1347 netlink_sendmsg+0x8e4/0xcb0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1891 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:711 [inline] __sock_sendmsg+0x221/0x270 net/socket.c:726 ____sys_sendmsg+0x52a/0x7e0 net/socket.c:2583 ___sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2637 [inline] __sys_sendmsg+0x269/0x350 net/socket.c:2669 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:52 [inline] do_syscall_64+0xf3/0x230 arch/x86/entry/common.c:83 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f RIP: 0033:0x7f5fe8785d29 Code: ff ff c3 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 0f 1f 40 00 48 89 f8 48 89 f7 48 89 d6 48 89 ca 4d 89 c2 4d 89 c8 4c 8b 4c 24 08 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 c7 c1 a8 ff ff ff f7 d8 64 89 01 48 RSP: 002b:00007fff571f5558 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 000000000000002e RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 00007f5fe8975fa0 RCX: 00007f5fe8785d29 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000020000480 RDI: 0000000000000007 RBP: 00007f5fe8801b08 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: 00007f5fe8975fa0 R14: 00007f5fe8975fa0 R15: 000000 ---truncated---

Technical summary

dbcve analysis

A detailed technical summary for this CVE is being prepared.

Affected products & versions

NVD · CPE data

Linux KernelOperating system

Affected:>= 5.18, < 6.1.129>= 6.2, < 6.6.78>= 6.7, < 6.12.13>= 6.13, < 6.13.2

CVSS breakdown

From the vector

Attack vector: Local
Complexity: Low
Privileges: Low
User interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: None
Integrity: None
Availability: High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Remediation

dbcve · scoped

Upgrade available Upgrade to 6.1.129 / 6.6.78 / 6.12.13 or later

Fixed in 6.1.1296.6.786.12.13

Vendor patch git.kernel.org →

Recommended fix High confidence

Linux Kernel 6.1.129, 6.6.78, 6.12.13, or 6.13.2 (or later stable releases in respective branches)

1. Identify the current running kernel version using 'uname -r' or 'cat /proc/version'
2. Determine which Linux distribution you are using and check for available kernel updates
3. For Ubuntu/Debian: Run 'sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade linux-image-generic'
4. For RHEL/CentOS: Run 'sudo yum update kernel'
5. For Arch Linux: Run 'sudo pacman -Syu linux'
6. For source-based installations: Download and compile kernel 6.1.129+ (for 6.1.y), 6.6.78+ (for 6.6.y), 6.12.13+ (for 6.12.y), or 6.13.2+ (for 6.13.y)
7. Reboot the system into the updated kernel
8. Verify the fix is applied by checking the kernel version matches a fixed release and confirming the vulnerability is resolved

Caveat Kernel upgrades may require system reboot and could have compatibility implications with custom kernel modules or specific hardware drivers; ensure backup and test in staging if possible

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

We can perform the upgrade in your staging environment and verify nothing breaks — typical engagement from $1,600. Get the upgrade done

Scan for this in your stack

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References

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-21706 in production — separate from our analysis above.

Notes0 Guidelines

Know something about CVE-2025-21706?

The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.

The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
A config change or rule that shut the vector down
A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon

No notes yet

Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.

What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here

Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data

At a glance

A fix existsUpgrade to 6.1.129 / 6.6.78 or later

Severity 5.5 Medium

Exploit likelihood EPSS, next 30 days 0.2%

Affects: Linux Kernel

Remediation

Need this fixed?

Get a fix

Estimated effortfrom ~9 hrs

ComplexityModerate

Typical engagementfrom $1,600

What a fix involves

We scope it with you and confirm a fixed quote
A specialist builds a reviewed fix
You deploy it to staging first
Optional re-test once it’s live

We specialise in CVE remediation. Send your environment and we’ll scope CVE-2025-21706 and return a fixed quote.

You’ll deal with our team directly and deploy the reviewed fix to staging first — never straight to production.

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

Scan for this in your stack

References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Practitioner notes

No notes yet

Official description

Technical summary

Affected products & versions

CVSS breakdown

Remediation

References