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CVE-2025-39721 medium CVSS 5.5

Use-After-Free in Linux kernel (CVE-2025-39721)

Summary

Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2025-39721). Risk of unauthorized operations or information disclosure. Exploitable via qat_misc_wq.

Original description

The description as published by the source.

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

crypto: qat - flush misc workqueue during device shutdown

Repeated loading and unloading of a device specific QAT driver, for
example qat_4xxx, in a tight loop can lead to a crash due to a
use-after-free scenario. This occurs when a power management (PM)
interrupt triggers just before the device-specific driver (e.g.,
qat_4xxx.ko) is unloaded, while the core driver (intel_qat.ko) remains
loaded.

Since the driver uses a shared workqueue (qat_misc_wq) across all
devices and owned by intel_qat.ko, a deferred routine from the
device-specific driver may still be pending in the queue. If this
routine executes after the driver is unloaded, it can dereference freed
memory, resulting in a page fault and kernel crash like the following:

BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: ffa000002e50a01c
#PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode
RIP: 0010:pm_bh_handler+0x1d2/0x250 [intel_qat]
Call Trace:
  pm_bh_handler+0x1d2/0x250 [intel_qat]
  process_one_work+0x171/0x340
  worker_thread+0x277/0x3a0
  kthread+0xf0/0x120
  ret_from_fork+0x2d/0x50

To prevent this, flush the misc workqueue during device shutdown to
ensure that all pending work items are completed before the driver is
unloaded.

Note: This approach may slightly increase shutdown latency if the
workqueue contains jobs from other devices, but it ensures correctness
and stability.

Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database NVD GitHub Advisory

Auto-generated summary

Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.

A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2025-39721 has been found in Linux kernel.
Attackers can target a specific entry point like qat_misc_wq over the network to misuse the product.
Risk of unauthorized operations or information disclosure. CVSS score: 5.5/10.
What to do: apply the vendor's official patched release.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "Linux kernel CVE-2025-39721" on the vendor's site.

CVE-2025-39721 (Linux kernel) — CWE-416 / CVSS v3 5.5
Attack vector: local / no user interaction
Attack surface: qat_misc_wq
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.

❓ What is the problem

Use-after-free (CWE-416) exists in Linux kernel. Attackers reach the vulnerable code path via qat_misc_wq.

📍 Affected scope

Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of Linux kernel. Attack surface: qat_misc_wq.

🔥 Severity

Severity: Medium (CVSS 5.5/10). Risk of unauthorized operations or information disclosure.

🔧 How to fix

Update to the patched release per vendor advisory.

🛡️ Workaround

Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.

🔍 Detection

Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Audit SBOM/dependencies to find affected services.

Response actions

Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order

  1. 1
    Identify exposure identify 
    Audit SBOM/dependencies for affected components.

    資産台帳・SBOM・依存マニフェストで Linux kernel を使っているサービスとバージョンを洗い出す。

  2. 2
    Post-deployment verification verify 
    Confirm patched version is live in production

    パッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。

Affected packages

Linux Kernel
[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"5.18.0"},{"fixed":"6.1.162"}]},{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"6.2.0"},{"fixed":"6.6.103"}]},{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"6.7.0"},{"fixed":"6.12.44"}]},{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"6.13.0"},{"fixed":"6.16.4"}]}]

Fix status by distribution

Fixed packages published by each distribution for this CVE

References

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