CVE-2025-21672: Linux kernel · afs: Fix merge preference rule failure condition
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium · fixed in 6.8.0-1030.32~22.04.1 : update Linux kernel when convenient.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 3% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 6.8.0-1030.32~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1030.35~22.04.1, 6.8.0-1031.33~22.04.1 +31
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 31 Jan 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinuxpkg:deb/ubuntu/linux?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-awspkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azurepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-6.11pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-6.11?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-azure-nvidiapkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-azure-nvidia?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-gcppkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-gcp?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: afs: Fix merge preference rule failure condition syzbot reported a lock held when returning to userspace[1]. This is because if argc is less than 0 and the function returns directly, the held inode lock is not released. Fix this by store the error in ret and jump to done to clean up instead of returning directly. [dh: Modified Lizhi Xu's original patch to make it honour the error code from afs_split_string()] [1] WARNING: lock held when returning to user space! 6.13.0-rc3-syzkaller-00209-g499551201b5f #0 Not tainted ------------------------------------------------ syz-executor133/5823 is leaving the kernel with locks still held! 1 lock held by syz-executor133/5823: #0: ffff888071cffc00 (&sb->s_type->i_mutex_key#9){++++}-{4:4}, at: inode_lock include/linux/fs.h:818 [inline] #0: ffff888071cffc00 (&sb->s_type->i_mutex_key#9){++++}-{4:4}, at: afs_proc_addr_prefs_write+0x2bb/0x14e0 fs/afs/addr_prefs.c:388
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-21672 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-21672 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/17a4fde81d3a7478d97d15304a6d61094a10c2e3 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/17a4fde81d3a7478d97d15304a6d61094a10c2e3 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/22be1d90a6211c88dd093b25d1f3aa974d0d9f9d (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7445-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7448-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7595-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7596-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7595-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7596-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7595-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7595-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7595-5 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7653-1 (opens in a new tab)