CVE-2025-21909: Linux kernel · wifi: nl80211: reject cooked mode if it is set along with other flags
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium · fixed in 5.4.0-1146.156~18.04.1 : update Linux kernel when convenient.
Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 11:14 UTC
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 5.4.0-1146.156~18.04.1, 5.4.0-1151.158~18.04.1, 5.4.0-1149.158~18.04.1 +88
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 1 Apr 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.
Patches and advisories
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7510-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7510-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7511-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7511-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7512-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7516-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7516-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7517-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7518-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7510-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7510-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7510-5 (opens in a new tab)
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: wifi: nl80211: reject cooked mode if it is set along with other flags It is possible to set both MONITOR_FLAG_COOK_FRAMES and MONITOR_FLAG_ACTIVE flags simultaneously on the same monitor interface from the userspace. This causes a sub-interface to be created with no IEEE80211_SDATA_IN_DRIVER bit set because the monitor interface is in the cooked state and it takes precedence over all other states. When the interface is then being deleted the kernel calls WARN_ONCE() from check_sdata_in_driver() because of missing that bit. Fix this by rejecting MONITOR_FLAG_COOK_FRAMES if it is set along with other flags. Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with Syzkaller.
References
- ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-21909 (opens in a new tab)
- cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-21909 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/linus/49f27f29446a5bfe633dd2cc0cfebd48a1a5e77f (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7510-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7510-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7511-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7511-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7512-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7516-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7516-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7517-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7518-1 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7510-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7510-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7510-5 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7511-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7516-3 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7516-4 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7517-2 (opens in a new tab)
- ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-7516-5 (opens in a new tab)