CVE-2025-71125

Kernel warning via unsupported synthetic perf event

Published Jan 14, 2026 · Updated Jan 14, 2026

NULL pointer dereference in Linux Kernel allows local users to trigger a kernel warning by opening an unsupported synthetic perf event. synth_event_reg passes a NULL registration callback to tracepoint_probe_register because synthetic events lack a perf registration function. The path requires local perf-event access; the published reproducer shows a warning, while panic_on_warn can convert a WARN path into a kernel panic.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.16%
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 Linux Kernel allows local users to trigger a kernel warning by opening an unsupported synthetic perf event. synth_event_reg passes a NULL registration callback to tracepoint_probe_register because synthetic events lack a perf registration function. The path requires local perf-event access; the published reproducer shows a warning, while panic_on_warn can convert a WARN path into a kernel panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-71125
Published
Jan 14, 2026
Updated
Jan 14, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-476
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 14, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 14, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.17
  2. Affected versionversion=4b147936fa509650beaf638b331573c23ba4d609 <3437c775bf209c674ad66304213b6b3c3b1b3f69
  3. Affected versionversion=4b147936fa509650beaf638b331573c23ba4d609 <65b1971147ec12f0b1cee0811c859a3d7d9b04ce
  4. Affected versionversion=4b147936fa509650beaf638b331573c23ba4d609 <6df47e5bb9b62d72f186f826ab643ea1856877c7
  5. Affected versionversion=4b147936fa509650beaf638b331573c23ba4d609 <ef7f38df890f5dcd2ae62f8dbde191d72f3bebae
  6. Affected versionversion=4b147936fa509650beaf638b331573c23ba4d609 <f7305697b60d79bc69c0a6e280fc931b4e8862dd

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=4.17; version=4b147936fa509650beaf638b331573c23ba4d609 <3437c775bf209c674ad66304213b6b3c3b1b3f69; version=4b147936fa509650beaf638b331573c23ba4d609 <65b1971147ec12f0b1cee0811c859a3d7d9b04ce; version=4b147936fa509650beaf638b331573c23ba4d609 <6df47e5bb9b62d72f186f826ab643ea1856877c7; version=4b147936fa509650beaf638b331573c23ba4d609 <ef7f38df890f5dcd2ae62f8dbde191d72f3bebae; version=4b147936fa509650beaf638b331573c23ba4d609 <f7305697b60d79bc69c0a6e280fc931b4e8862dd

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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