CVE-2025-68221

Local MPTCP disruption via stale address counter

Published Dec 16, 2025 · Updated Dec 16, 2025

Counter-management error in Linux kernel 6.15 allows local users to interrupt MPTCP networking through normal address removal. The WARN_ON_ONCE guard in mptcp_pm_nl_rm_addr is inverted, so the decrement runs only when the address counter is already zero and skips valid removals while it is positive. Low-privileged local access is required, no user interaction is needed, and the reported consequence is limited to availability rather than data disclosure or modification.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Counter-management error in Linux kernel 6.15 allows local users to interrupt MPTCP networking through normal address removal. The WARN_ON_ONCE guard in mptcp_pm_nl_rm_addr is inverted, so the decrement runs only when the address counter is already zero and skips valid removals while it is positive. Low-privileged local access is required, no user interaction is needed, and the reported consequence is limited to availability rather than data disclosure or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-68221
Published
Dec 16, 2025
Updated
Dec 16, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 16, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 16, 2025Record 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=6.15
  2. Affected versionversion=63611391850850bf27f81afb0d0b6d1237a34006 <92e239e36d600002559074994a545fcfac9afd2d
  3. Affected versionversion=63611391850850bf27f81afb0d0b6d1237a34006 <f7d953c38245c0e9d8e268fb6a9e524602fb44ec

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.15; version=63611391850850bf27f81afb0d0b6d1237a34006 <92e239e36d600002559074994a545fcfac9afd2d; version=63611391850850bf27f81afb0d0b6d1237a34006 <f7d953c38245c0e9d8e268fb6a9e524602fb44ec

Published CVSS scores

5.5SUSECVSS: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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

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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