// For flags

CVE-2025-21857

net/sched: cls_api: fix error handling causing NULL dereference

Severity Score

5.5
*CVSS v3

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

0
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

-
*SSVC
Descriptions

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/sched: cls_api: fix error handling causing NULL dereference tcf_exts_miss_cookie_base_alloc() calls xa_alloc_cyclic() which can
return 1 if the allocation succeeded after wrapping. This was treated as
an error, with value 1 returned to caller tcf_exts_init_ex() which sets
exts->actions to NULL and returns 1 to caller fl_change(). fl_change() treats err == 1 as success, calling tcf_exts_validate_ex()
which calls tcf_action_init() with exts->actions as argument, where it
is dereferenced. Example trace: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000000
CPU: 114 PID: 16151 Comm: handler114 Kdump: loaded Not tainted 5.14.0-503.16.1.el9_5.x86_64 #1
RIP: 0010:tcf_action_init+0x1f8/0x2c0
Call Trace: tcf_action_init+0x1f8/0x2c0 tcf_exts_validate_ex+0x175/0x190 fl_change+0x537/0x1120 [cls_flower]

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/sched: cls_api: fix error handling causing NULL dereference tcf_exts_miss_cookie_base_alloc() calls xa_alloc_cyclic() which can return 1 if the allocation succeeded after wrapping. This was treated as an error, with value 1 returned to caller tcf_exts_init_ex() which sets exts->actions to NULL and returns 1 to caller fl_change(). fl_change() treats err == 1 as success, calling tcf_exts_validate_ex() which calls tcf_action_init() with exts->actions as argument, where it is dereferenced. Example trace: BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000000 CPU: 114 PID: 16151 Comm: handler114 Kdump: loaded Not tainted 5.14.0-503.16.1.el9_5.x86_64 #1 RIP: 0010:tcf_action_init+0x1f8/0x2c0 Call Trace: tcf_action_init+0x1f8/0x2c0 tcf_exts_validate_ex+0x175/0x190 fl_change+0x537/0x1120 [cls_flower]

*Credits: N/A
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
Complete
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:-
Exploitation
-
Automatable
-
Tech. Impact
-
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2024-12-29 CVE Reserved
  • 2025-03-12 CVE Published
  • 2025-03-12 CVE Updated
  • ---------- EPSS Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
  • ---------- First Exploit
CWE
CAPEC
Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions
Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vendor Product Version Other Status <-- --> Vendor Product Version Other Status
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
 Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
 >= 6.3 < 6.6.80
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 6.3 < 6.6.80"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
 Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
 >= 6.3 < 6.12.17
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 6.3 < 6.12.17"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
 Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
 >= 6.3 < 6.13.5
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 6.3 < 6.13.5"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
 Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
 >= 6.3 < 6.14-rc4
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 6.3 < 6.14-rc4"
en
Affected