CVE Catalog

CVE-2025-21751

HighCVSS 7.8
Published: Updated: Translated: NVD NIST

Summary

In the Linux kernel, a use-after-free vulnerability was fixed in the net/mlx5 (HWS) driver that occurs when a firmware failure happens during matcher disconnect. The error flow reconnected the matcher and returned an error, leading to the matcher being freed while still on the matchers list, resulting in use-after-free and eventual crash. The fix avoids reconnecting the matcher when a firmware command fails during disconnect.

Risk Assessment

The vulnerability can lead to kernel crashes and denial of service (DoS) on systems with Mellanox mlx5 cards. It may also cause resource leaks and incorrect network steering state.

Recommendation

Update the Linux kernel to a version containing the fix. Monitor systems with mlx5 cards for unexpected reboots or driver errors.

Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

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Original NVD description (English source)

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/mlx5: HWS, change error flow on matcher disconnect Currently, when firmware failure occurs during matcher disconnect flow, the error flow of the function reconnects the matcher back and returns an error, which continues running the calling function and eventually frees the matcher that is being disconnected. This leads to a case where we have a freed matcher on the matchers list, which in turn leads to use-after-free and eventual crash. This patch fixes that by not trying to reconnect the matcher back when some FW command fails during disconnect. Note that we're dealing here with FW error. We can't overcome this problem. This might lead to bad steering state (e.g. wrong connection between matchers), and will also lead to resource leakage, as it is the case with any other error handling during resource destruction. However, the goal here is to allow the driver to continue and not crash the machine with use-after-free error.

Vulnerability data from NVD (NIST) · CISA KEV · EPSS