CVE-2025-21782
Published: 27 February 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-21782 is a high-severity Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125) vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel. Its CVSS base score is 7.1 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Credential Access (T1212); ranked at the 0.8th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 CM-7 (Least Functionality) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Directly remediates the slab-out-of-bounds read vulnerability in orangefs_debug_write by applying the specified upstream Linux kernel patches.
Eliminates the attack surface by restricting or prohibiting non-essential kernel modules like OrangeFS, preventing exploitation of the debug write function.
Implements kernel memory protections such as boundary checks and randomization to limit the scope and impact of out-of-bounds reads in filesystem debug operations.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
The slab out-of-bounds read in kernel debug write allows local low-privileged access to sensitive kernel memory (facilitating T1212 Exploitation for Credential Access via potential confidential data leaks) and can trigger kernel crashes or instability (enabling T1499.004 Application or System Exploitation for DoS).
NVD Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: orangefs: fix a oob in orangefs_debug_write I got a syzbot report: slab-out-of-bounds Read in orangefs_debug_write... several people suggested fixes, I tested Al Viro's suggestion and made this patch.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2025-21782 is a slab-out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the orangefs_debug_write function within the OrangeFS filesystem implementation of the Linux kernel. Discovered via a syzbot report, the issue allows out-of-bounds memory access during debug write operations. It is classified under CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read) with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.1 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H), indicating high severity due to impacts on confidentiality and availability.
A local attacker with low privileges can exploit this vulnerability with low complexity and no user interaction required. Successful exploitation enables reading sensitive out-of-bounds kernel memory, potentially leaking confidential data, and triggering a denial of service through kernel crashes or instability, without affecting integrity or escalating privileges beyond the local scope.
Mitigation involves applying the upstream kernel patches referenced in the stable repository commits, including 09d472a18c0ee1d5b83612cb919e33a1610fea16, 18b7f841109f697840fe8633cf7ed7d32bd3f91b, 1c5244299241cf49d8ae7b5054e299cc8faa4e09, 1da2697307dad281dd690a19441b5ca4af92d786, and 2b84a231910cef2e0a16d29294afabfb69112087. Security practitioners should update affected Linux kernel versions supporting OrangeFS to incorporate these fixes.
Details
- CWE(s)