CVE-2025-21644

Kernel crash via uninitialized TLB invalidation state

Published Jan 19, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 6.11 through 6.12.9 allows local users to crash the kernel during Intel Xe GPU initialization. The drm/xe driver invokes xe_gt_tlb_invalidation_reset after a GuC load failure before xe_gt_tlb_invalidation_init initializes its lock and sequence number. Reaching the crash requires an Intel Xe GPU and a GuC load failure; the published trigger alters the GuC firmware binary to force signature rejection.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Linux kernel 6.11 through 6.12.9 allows local users to crash the kernel during Intel Xe GPU initialization. The drm/xe driver invokes xe_gt_tlb_invalidation_reset after a GuC load failure before xe_gt_tlb_invalidation_init initializes its lock and sequence number. Reaching the crash requires an Intel Xe GPU and a GuC load failure; the published trigger alters the GuC firmware binary to force signature rejection.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-21644
Published
Jan 19, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 19, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=6.11
  2. Affected versionversion=c9474b726b932b5d555effd9ed0ae19f4da2367c <09b94ddc58c6640cbbc7775a61a5387b8be71488
  3. Affected versionversion=c9474b726b932b5d555effd9ed0ae19f4da2367c <9ab4981552930a9c45682d62424ba610edc3992d

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.11; version=c9474b726b932b5d555effd9ed0ae19f4da2367c <09b94ddc58c6640cbbc7775a61a5387b8be71488; version=c9474b726b932b5d555effd9ed0ae19f4da2367c <9ab4981552930a9c45682d62424ba610edc3992d

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISA ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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