CVE-2025-21694 — fs/proc: fix softlockup in __read_vmcore (part 2)
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs/proc: fix softlockup in __read_vmcore (part 2) Since commit 5cbcb62dddf5 ("fs/proc: fix softlockup in __read_vmcore") the number of softlockups in __read_vmcore at kdump time have gone down, but they still happen sometimes. In a memory constrained environment like the kdump image, a softlockup is not just a harmless message, but it can interfere with things like RCU freeing memory, causing the crashdump to get stuck. The second loop in __read_vmcore has a lot more opportunities for natural sleep points, like scheduling out while waiting for a data write to happen, but apparently that is not always enough. Add a cond_resched() to the second loop in __read_vmcore to (hopefully) get rid of the softlockups.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+2
- Technical severity (medium)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux |
≥ 70c1835e776c8447c1aca87ddb38cfe764fe756a and < 80da29deb88a3a907441fc35bb7bac309f31e713version 6.10≥ 6.9.6 and < 6.10≥ 4.19.317 and < 4.20≥ 6.6.35 and < 6.6.74≥ 6.1.95 and < 6.1.127≥ 5.15.162 and < 5.15.177≥ 5.10.221 and < 5.10.234 and 9 more≥ 5.4.279 and < 5.4.290version e8780e8a0e25dc4c3927f611ec8970d26c0c7369version 7bdf1d550ddfcd9ab797087421f77b7aceddc8a7≥ 5cbcb62dddf5346077feb82b7b0c9254222d3445 and < cbc5dde0a461240046e8a41c43d7c3b76d5db952≥ 5cbcb62dddf5346077feb82b7b0c9254222d3445 and < 80828540dad0757b6337c6561d49c81038f38d87≥ 518fbd644dabb6aedbdd4939c6c9cc1bf651459f and < a5a2ee8144c3897d37403a69118c3e3dc5713958≥ a373ad833a6bfe4bc6cedcf7e56a99cc6fd9a193 and < 65c367bd9d4f43513c7f837df5753bea9561b836≥ e1b160a50c756e0efbea290b9bf5117cb80e8c4b and < 649b266606bc413407ce315f710c8ce8a88ee30a≥ 803d5a33d5ffdc2d86dcc0cfa01655a330612cdb and < 84c4ed15626574c9ac6c1039ba9c137a77bcc7f2 |
Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel |
≥ 4.19.317 and < 4.20version 6.13-rc7version 6.13-rc6version 6.13-rc5version 6.13-rc4version 6.13-rc3version 6.13-rc2version 6.13-rc1 and 6 more≥ 6.9.6 and < 6.12.11≥ 6.6.35 and < 6.6.74≥ 6.1.95 and < 6.1.127≥ 5.15.162 and < 5.15.177≥ 5.10.221 and < 5.10.234≥ 5.4.279 and < 5.4.290 |
Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 1.8 | 3.6 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 1.8 | 3.6 | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | — | — | CISA-ADP via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · linux/linux kernel
- CVSS changed · 5.5
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2025
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
References
14 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a5a2ee8144c3897d37403a69118c3e3dc5713958
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/80828540dad0757b6337c6561d49c81038f38d87
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/84c4ed15626574c9ac6c1039ba9c137a77bcc7f2
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/65c367bd9d4f43513c7f837df5753bea9561b836
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/80da29deb88a3a907441fc35bb7bac309f31e713
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/cbc5dde0a461240046e8a41c43d7c3b76d5db952
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/649b266606bc413407ce315f710c8ce8a88ee30a
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/03/msg00001.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-355557.html
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-21694
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-8mjp-767h-9569
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/03/msg00002.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-265688.html
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 12h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 12h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98427 net/sched: codel: bound the dropping loop per dequeue call 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CWE classification.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2025-21694 is "fs/proc: fix softlockup in __read_vmcore (part 2)", rated Medium. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.24% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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