CVE-2025-21679

Kernel crash via unchecked device-path error

Published Jan 31, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026

Denial of service in Linux btrfs 6.12.5 through 6.12.10 allows local users to crash the kernel through a device-path error. A failed d_path() call in get_canonical_dev_path returns an error pointer that strscpy() treats as a valid source address, causing an invalid memory access. Low-privileged local access and a btrfs device-path operation are required; the bounded impact is a kernel crash and host service interruption.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in Linux btrfs 6.12.5 through 6.12.10 allows local users to crash the kernel through a device-path error. A failed d_path() call in get_canonical_dev_path returns an error pointer that strscpy() treats as a valid source address, causing an invalid memory access. Low-privileged local access and a btrfs device-path operation are required; the bounded impact is a kernel crash and host service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-21679
Published
Jan 31, 2025
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 31, 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=5d261f60b5c82ba1e4b5555252e1c90c43d96015 <d0fb5741932b831eded49bfaaf33353e96200d6d
  2. Affected versionversion=6.12.5 <6.12.11
  3. Affected versionversion=7e06de7c83a746e58d4701e013182af133395188 <fe4de594f7a2e9bc49407de60fbd20809fad4192

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5d261f60b5c82ba1e4b5555252e1c90c43d96015 <d0fb5741932b831eded49bfaaf33353e96200d6d; version=6.12.5 <6.12.11; version=7e06de7c83a746e58d4701e013182af133395188 <fe4de594f7a2e9bc49407de60fbd20809fad4192

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.8SUSECVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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.

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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

T1499.004Application 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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