CVE-2025-21706: Vulnerability in Linux Linux

Severity: highType: vulnerabilityCVE-2025-21706

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mptcp: pm: only set fullmesh for subflow endp With the in-kernel path-manager, it is possible to change the 'fullmesh' flag. The code in mptcp_pm_nl_fullmesh() expects to change it only on 'subflow' endpoints, to recreate more or less subflows using the linked address. Unfortunately, the set_flags() hook was a bit more permissive, and allowed 'implicit' endpoints to get the 'fullmesh' flag while it is not allowed before. That's what syzbot found, triggering the following warning: WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 6499 at net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1496 __mark_subflow_endp_available net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1496 [inline] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 6499 at net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1496 mptcp_pm_nl_fullmesh net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1980 [inline] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 6499 at net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1496 mptcp_nl_set_flags net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:2003 [inline] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 6499 at net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1496 mptcp_pm_nl_set_flags+0x974/0xdc0 net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:2064 Modules linked in: CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 6499 Comm: syz.1.413 Not tainted 6.13.0-rc5-syzkaller-00172-gd1bf27c4e176 #0 Hardware name: Google Compute Engine/Google Compute Engine, BIOS Google 09/13/2024 RIP: 0010:__mark_subflow_endp_available net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1496 [inline] RIP: 0010:mptcp_pm_nl_fullmesh net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:1980 [inline] RIP: 0010:mptcp_nl_set_flags net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:2003 [inline] RIP: 0010:mptcp_pm_nl_set_flags+0x974/0xdc0 net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c:2064 Code: 01 00 00 49 89 c5 e8 fb 45 e8 f5 e9 b8 fc ff ff e8 f1 45 e8 f5 4c 89 f7 be 03 00 00 00 e8 44 1d 0b f9 eb a0 e8 dd 45 e8 f5 90 <0f> 0b 90 e9 17 ff ff ff 89 d9 80 e1 07 38 c1 0f 8c c9 fc ff ff 48 RSP: 0018:ffffc9000d307240 EFLAGS: 00010293 RAX: ffffffff8bb72e03 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: ffff88807da88000 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000000000000 RDI: 0000000000000000 RBP: ffffc9000d307430 R08: ffffffff8bb72cf0 R09: 1ffff1100b842a5e R10: dffffc0000000000 R11: ffffed100b842a5f R12: ffff88801e2e5ac0 R13: ffff88805c214800 R14: ffff88805c2152e8 R15: 1ffff1100b842a5d FS: 00005555619f6500(0000) GS:ffff8880b8600000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 CR2: 0000000020002840 CR3: 00000000247e6000 CR4: 00000000003526f0 DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 Call Trace: <TASK> genl_family_rcv_msg_doit net/netlink/genetlink.c:1115 [inline] genl_family_rcv_msg net/netlink/genetlink.c:1195 [inline] genl_rcv_msg+0xb14/0xec0 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1210 netlink_rcv_skb+0x1e3/0x430 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2542 genl_rcv+0x28/0x40 net/netlink/genetlink.c:1219 netlink_unicast_kernel net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1321 [inline] netlink_unicast+0x7f6/0x990 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1347 netlink_sendmsg+0x8e4/0xcb0 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1891 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:711 [inline] __sock_sendmsg+0x221/0x270 net/socket.c:726 ____sys_sendmsg+0x52a/0x7e0 net/socket.c:2583 ___sys_sendmsg net/socket.c:2637 [inline] __sys_sendmsg+0x269/0x350 net/socket.c:2669 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:52 [inline] do_syscall_64+0xf3/0x230 arch/x86/entry/common.c:83 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x77/0x7f RIP: 0033:0x7f5fe8785d29 Code: ff ff c3 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 0f 1f 40 00 48 89 f8 48 89 f7 48 89 d6 48 89 ca 4d 89 c2 4d 89 c8 4c 8b 4c 24 08 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 c7 c1 a8 ff ff ff f7 d8 64 89 01 48 RSP: 002b:00007fff571f5558 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 000000000000002e RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 00007f5fe8975fa0 RCX: 00007f5fe8785d29 RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000020000480 RDI: 0000000000000007 RBP: 00007f5fe8801b08 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: 00007f5fe8975fa0 R14: 00007f5fe8975fa0 R15: 000000 ---truncated---

AI Analysis

Technical Summary

CVE-2025-21706 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel's Multipath TCP (MPTCP) implementation, specifically within the in-kernel path manager (pm) component. MPTCP is a protocol extension that allows a single TCP connection to use multiple paths to maximize resource usage and increase redundancy. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of the 'fullmesh' flag, which controls the creation of subflows between endpoints. The function mptcp_pm_nl_fullmesh() is designed to set this flag only on 'subflow' endpoints, which are legitimate endpoints for creating multiple subflows. However, due to a permissive set_flags() hook, 'implicit' endpoints—those not intended to have the fullmesh flag—can also be assigned this flag. This misassignment can lead to unexpected behavior in subflow management, potentially causing kernel warnings or instability. The issue was discovered by syzbot, a kernel fuzzing tool, which triggered kernel warnings indicating misuse of the fullmesh flag. The vulnerability affects Linux kernel versions around 6.13.0-rc5 and likely other versions using similar MPTCP code. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild, the flaw could be leveraged by an attacker with the ability to interact with the kernel's netlink interface to manipulate MPTCP subflows, potentially leading to denial of service (kernel crashes or warnings) or other unintended side effects. The vulnerability does not require user interaction but does require privileged access to invoke netlink calls that set flags on MPTCP endpoints.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-21706 depends largely on their use of Linux systems with MPTCP enabled, particularly in environments where multipath TCP is leveraged for network redundancy or performance, such as data centers, cloud infrastructure, and telecom operators. Exploitation could lead to kernel instability or denial of service on critical Linux servers, impacting availability of services. Given the kernel-level nature of the flaw, successful exploitation could disrupt network communications, degrade performance, or cause system crashes, affecting business continuity. Organizations relying on Linux-based network appliances or embedded systems using MPTCP could face operational disruptions. Although no direct data confidentiality or integrity compromise is indicated, the availability impact alone could be significant for critical infrastructure or services. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the vulnerability's presence in widely deployed Linux kernels means that European enterprises should prioritize patching to avoid potential future attacks.

Mitigation Recommendations

1. Apply the official Linux kernel patches that address this vulnerability as soon as they become available. Monitor Linux kernel mailing lists and distribution security advisories for updates related to CVE-2025-21706. 2. If immediate patching is not possible, consider disabling MPTCP functionality temporarily on affected systems to mitigate risk, especially on critical infrastructure. 3. Restrict access to netlink interfaces and ensure only trusted, privileged users or processes can interact with MPTCP path manager settings to prevent unauthorized flag manipulation. 4. Implement kernel-level monitoring and alerting for unusual netlink messages or kernel warnings related to MPTCP to detect potential exploitation attempts early. 5. Conduct thorough testing of network and kernel stability after patching to ensure no regressions or side effects occur. 6. For organizations using custom or embedded Linux kernels, coordinate with vendors or maintainers to backport fixes promptly. 7. Incorporate this vulnerability into vulnerability management and incident response plans to ensure rapid detection and remediation.