Kernel compromise via stale NVMe request queue
Published Dec 16, 2025 · Updated Dec 16, 2025
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel NVMe host driver allows local users to compromise the kernel through a retained admin descriptor. Controller teardown frees the admin request_queue before namespace-held controller references are released, so blk_queue_enter accesses reclaimed queue memory. A local user with NVMe device access can retain a namespace or controller descriptor across teardown and trigger information disclosure, memory corruption, or a system crash without winning a narrow race.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in the Linux kernel NVMe host driver allows local users to compromise the kernel through a retained admin descriptor. Controller teardown frees the admin request_queue before namespace-held controller references are released, so blk_queue_enter accesses reclaimed queue memory. A local user with NVMe device access can retain a namespace or controller descriptor across teardown and trigger information disclosure, memory corruption, or a system crash without winning a narrow race.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-68265
- Published
- Dec 16, 2025
- Updated
- Dec 16, 2025
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 16, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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?
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- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <03b3bcd319b3ab5182bc9aaa0421351572c78ac0
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e7dac681790556c131854b97551337aa8042215b
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <e8061d02b49c5c901980f58d91e96580e9a14acf
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What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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