CVE-2025-21840: Linux kernel · thermal/netlink: Prevent userspace segmentation fault by adjusting UAPI header
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium.
Data as of 29 Oct 2026, 23:42 UTC
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 7 Mar 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 29 Oct 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-raspi-realtimepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-raspi-realtime?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSlinux-realtimepkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-realtime?arch=source&distro=nobleOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 22.04 LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-allwinner-5.19?arch=source&distro=jammyOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 22.04 LTSlinux-aws-5.19pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws-5.19?arch=source&distro=jammyOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 22.04 LTSlinux-aws-6.2pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws-6.2?arch=source&distro=jammyOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Ubuntu 22.04 LTSlinux-aws-6.5pkg:deb/ubuntu/linux-aws-6.5?arch=source&distro=jammyOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
A fix is available that reorders the thermal_genl_attr enum to place the new attribute at the end, preserving existing attribute values. Users should update their Linux kernel to a version that includes this fix. Additionally, userspace tools like intel-lpmd should be updated to check the THERMAL_GENL_VERSION and use the appropriate attribute values. No other mitigation is required.
Description
CVE-2025-21840 is a medium severity vulnerability in the Linux kernel's thermal netlink interface. It involves a userspace segmentation fault caused by a change in the thermal generic netlink attribute enumeration order. The issue was fixed by moving a newly introduced attribute to the end of the enum to preserve existing attribute values and prevent segmentation faults in userspace tools like intel-lpmd.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-21840 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-21840 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/c195b9c6ab9c383d7aa3f4a65879b3ca90cb378b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3a4ca365c51729143a2cab693cd40fe0bb585ef0 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/c195b9c6ab9c383d7aa3f4a65879b3ca90cb378b (opens in a new tab)