CVE-2025-21870

Local system crash via ambiguous copier matching

Published Mar 27, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel ASoC SOF IPC4 topology code allows local users to crash the system via stream-name collisions. The lookup loops compare only sname, so a non-DAI copier can be mistaken for an ALH copier, leaving copier->data NULL or miscounting ALH devices. Reachability requires local low-privileged access and an SOF IPC4 audio topology with colliding stream names; the bounded effects are a kernel crash or broken audio.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
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 the Linux kernel ASoC SOF IPC4 topology code allows local users to crash the system via stream-name collisions. The lookup loops compare only sname, so a non-DAI copier can be mistaken for an ALH copier, leaving copier->data NULL or miscounting ALH devices. Reachability requires local low-privileged access and an SOF IPC4 audio topology with colliding stream names; the bounded effects are a kernel crash or broken audio.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-21870
Published
Mar 27, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 27, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 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=6.0
  2. Affected versionversion=a150345aa758492e05d2934f318ce7c2566b1cfe <6fd60136d256b3b948333ebdb3835f41a95ab7ef
  3. Affected versionversion=a150345aa758492e05d2934f318ce7c2566b1cfe <87c8768a96092ce75cd47fe076db5080db7ac515
  4. Affected versionversion=a150345aa758492e05d2934f318ce7c2566b1cfe <93c6c2e5801aab09ef1ef99f248f3cd323c3f152

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.0; version=a150345aa758492e05d2934f318ce7c2566b1cfe <6fd60136d256b3b948333ebdb3835f41a95ab7ef; version=a150345aa758492e05d2934f318ce7c2566b1cfe <87c8768a96092ce75cd47fe076db5080db7ac515; version=a150345aa758492e05d2934f318ce7c2566b1cfe <93c6c2e5801aab09ef1ef99f248f3cd323c3f152

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS: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.

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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

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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