Kernel panic via freed RX descriptor access
Published Apr 1, 2025 · Updated May 11, 2026
Denial of service in the Linux bnxt Ethernet driver allows local users to trigger a kernel panic by restarting a queue while its interface is down. bnxt_queue_mem_alloc() dereferences an RX buffer descriptor after the down-interface path has freed it because the restart path lacks an interface-state check. The affected bnxt driver and low-privileged local access to the netdev queue-binding path are required; the bounded consequence is a host crash.
Summary
What happened
Denial of service in the Linux bnxt Ethernet driver allows local users to trigger a kernel panic by restarting a queue while its interface is down. bnxt_queue_mem_alloc() dereferences an RX buffer descriptor after the down-interface path has freed it because the restart path lacks an interface-state check. The affected bnxt driver and low-privileged local access to the netdev queue-binding path are required; the bounded consequence is a host crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-21974
- Published
- Apr 1, 2025
- Updated
- May 11, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 1, 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=2d694c27d32efc9467a8a20e4ad641ab5adfd07d <14eb5f0d6554653f4b159835c2f77b2a9bd7e9be
- Affected versionversion=2d694c27d32efc9467a8a20e4ad641ab5adfd07d <ca2456e073957781e1184de68551c65161b2bd30
- Affected versionversion=2d694c27d32efc9467a8a20e4ad641ab5adfd07d <d3b8cd8a8a98c7c83a693bd651f1919be36a57f2
- Affected versionversion=6.11
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What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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