Kernel crash via exiting-task namespace null dereference
Published Jan 19, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026
A null pointer dereference in Linux kernel RDS TCP sysctls allows local users to crash the kernel during task exit via acct(2). The rds_tcp_{rcv,snd}buf sysctl handlers read a network namespace through current->nsproxy even though that pointer can be NULL while the current task exits, causing a kernel Oops. Reachability requires local low-privileged access and execution of the affected RDS sysctl path during task teardown; the reported consequence is a kernel crash, not data disclosure or modification.
Summary
What happened
A null pointer dereference in Linux kernel RDS TCP sysctls allows local users to crash the kernel during task exit via acct(2). The rds_tcp_{rcv,snd}buf sysctl handlers read a network namespace through current->nsproxy even though that pointer can be NULL while the current task exits, causing a kernel Oops. Reachability requires local low-privileged access and execution of the affected RDS sysctl path during task teardown; the reported consequence is a kernel crash, not data disclosure or modification.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-21635
- Published
- Jan 19, 2025
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-476, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 19, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 11, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=4.6
- Affected versionversion=c6a58ffed53612be86b758df1cdb0b0f4305e9cb <7f5611cbc4871c7fb1ad36c2e5a9edad63dca95c
- Affected versionversion=c6a58ffed53612be86b758df1cdb0b0f4305e9cb <de8d6de0ee27be4b2b1e5b06f04aeacbabbba492
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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