Kernel panic via unreferenced PMU module unload
Published Apr 16, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel vpa_pmu PMU in 6.13 allows local users to crash a pSeries LPAR after an administrator unloads the module. vpa_pmu_event_init leaves the PMU owner unset, so an active perf event holds no module reference and later dereferences PMU state after unload. The flaw requires a PowerPC pSeries LPAR with Book3s-HV nested APIv2 counters, an accessible perf event, and a privileged module unload; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel panic.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel vpa_pmu PMU in 6.13 allows local users to crash a pSeries LPAR after an administrator unloads the module. vpa_pmu_event_init leaves the PMU owner unset, so an active perf event holds no module reference and later dereferences PMU state after unload. The flaw requires a PowerPC pSeries LPAR with Book3s-HV nested APIv2 counters, an accessible perf event, and a privileged module unload; the demonstrated consequence is a kernel panic.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-22094
- Published
- Apr 16, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 16, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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- Affected versionversion=176cda0619b6c17a553625f6e2fcbc3981ad667d <6cf045b51e2c5721db7e55305f09ee32741e00f9
- Affected versionversion=176cda0619b6c17a553625f6e2fcbc3981ad667d <70ea7c5189197c6f5acdcfd8a2651be2c41e2faa
- Affected versionversion=176cda0619b6c17a553625f6e2fcbc3981ad667d <ff99d5b6a246715f2257123cdf6c4a29cb33aa78
- Affected versionversion=6.13
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What is affected?
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Attacks
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