CVE-2025-21702: Linux kernel · pfifo_tail_enqueue: Drop new packet when sch->limit == 0
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High.
Data as of 10 Nov 2026, 14:04 UTC
Thin evidence
One scorer or none| CNA (Linux) | CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 |
|---|
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 18 Feb 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: 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 10 Nov 2026.
What to do
AI-suggested
Until a fix is available, avoid configuring pfifo_head_drop qdiscs with sch->limit set to zero in environments where untrusted users can enqueue packets. Monitor vendor communications for official patches.
Description
CVE-2025-21702 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel's packet scheduler involving the pfifo_tail_enqueue function. When the scheduler's limit (sch->limit) is set to zero, the function incorrectly increments the queue length (qlen) without dropping a packet, violating the design where a parent's queue length should equal the sum of its children's queue lengths. This inconsistency can be exploited for user-to-kernel privilege escalation.
References
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/78285b53266d6d51fa4ff504a23df03852eba84e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/7a9723ec27aff5674f1fd4934608937f1d650980 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a56a6e8589a9b98d8171611fbcc1e45a15fd2455 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/020ecb76812a0526f4130ab5aeb6dc7c773e7ab9 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/79a955ea4a2e5ddf4a36328959de0de496419888 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e40cb34b7f247fe2e366fd192700d1b4f38196ca (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b6a079c3b6f95378f26e2aeda520cb3176f7067b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/647cef20e649c576dff271e018d5d15d998b629d (opens in a new tab)
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00045.html (opens in a new tab)
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00030.html (opens in a new tab)
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-082556.html (opens in a new tab)
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-019113.html (opens in a new tab)
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-457936.html (opens in a new tab)
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-784472.html (opens in a new tab)