CVE-2025-21959: Linux kernel · netfilter: nf_conncount: Fully initialize struct nf_conncount_tuple in insert_tree()
Affects Linux kernelSource GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.3 High.
Data as of 10 Nov 2026, 13:47 UTC
Sources agree
| CNA (Linux) | CVSS 3.1 | 7.3 |
|---|---|---|
| CISA-ADP | CVSS 3.1 | 5.5 |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:LExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 1 Apr 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
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Linux Linux | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
A fix is available as the vulnerability has been resolved by initializing the missing fields in the insert_tree() function. Users should update to the fixed Linux kernel version or later to remediate this issue. Since this is a kernel-level vulnerability, applying the official kernel patch or upgrading the kernel is the recommended mitigation.
Description
CVE-2025-21959 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel's netfilter nf_conncount component where the struct nf_conncount_tuple was not fully initialized in the insert_tree() function. This uninitialized memory usage was identified by Kernel Memory Sanitizer (KMSAN) and could lead to undefined behavior. The issue was introduced due to incomplete initialization of new fields 'cpu' and 'jiffies32' after refactoring. The vulnerability affects Linux kernel version 4.14.92.
References
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f522229c5563b59b4240261e406779bba6754159 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2a154ce766b995494e88d8d117fa82cc6b73dd87 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e8544a5a97bee3674e7cd6bf0f3a4af517fa9146 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/a62a25c6ad58fae997f48a0749afeda1c252ae51 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/fda50302a13701d47fbe01e1739c7a51114144fb (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/db1e0c0856821c59a32ea3af79476bf20a6beeb2 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2db5baaf047a7c8d6ed5e2cc657b7854e155b7fc (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d653bfeb07ebb3499c403404c21ac58a16531607 (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-019113.html (opens in a new tab)
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-457936.html (opens in a new tab)