Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: sctp: sysctl:...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
sctp: sysctl: cookie_hmac_alg: avoid using current->nsproxy
As mentioned in a previous commit of this series, using the 'net'
structure via 'current' is not recommended for different reasons:
Inconsistency: getting info from the reader's/writer's netns vs only
from the opener's netns.current->nsproxy can be NULL in some cases, resulting in an 'Oops'
(null-ptr-deref), e.g. when the current task is exiting, as spotted by
syzbot [1] using acct(2).
The 'net' structure can be obtained from the table->data using
container_of().
Note that table->data could also be used directly, as this is the only
member needed from the 'net' structure, but that would increase the size
of this fix, to use '*data' everywhere 'net->sctp.sctp_hmac_alg' is
used.
Impact
The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash. Typical impact: denial of service via crash.
CVE-2025-21640 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. No fixed version is listed yet, so configuration controls and monitoring matter more in the interim.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-21640? CVE-2025-21640 is a medium-severity null pointer dereference vulnerability. No fixed version is listed yet. The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash.
- How severe is CVE-2025-21640? CVE-2025-21640 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-21640? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-21640 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-21640 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-21640 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2025-21640 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.