Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mm: zswap: properly...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
mm: zswap: properly synchronize freeing resources during CPU hotunplug
In zswap_compress() and zswap_decompress(), the per-CPU acomp_ctx of the
current CPU at the beginning of the operation is retrieved and used
throughout. However, since neither preemption nor migration are disabled,
it is possible that the operation continues on a different CPU.
If the original CPU is hotunplugged while the acomp_ctx is still in use,
we run into a UAF bug as some of the resources attached to the acomp_ctx
are freed during hotunplug in zswap_cpu_comp_dead() (i.e.
acomp_ctx.buffer, acomp_ctx.req, or acomp_ctx.acomp).
The problem was introduced in commit 1ec3b5fe6eec ("mm/zswap: move to use
crypto_acomp API for hardware acceleration") when the switch to the
crypto_acomp API was made. Prior to that, the per-CPU crypto_comp was
retrieved using get_cpu_ptr() which disables preemption and makes sure the
CPU cannot go away from under us. Preemption cannot be disabled with the
crypto_acomp API as a sleepable context is needed.
Use the acomp_ctx.mutex to synchronize CPU hotplug callbacks allocating
and freeing resources with compression/decompression paths. Make sure
that acomp_ctx.req is NULL when the resources are freed. In the
compression/decompression paths, check if acomp_ctx.req is NULL after
acquiring the mutex (meaning the CPU was offlined) and retry on the new
CPU.
The initialization of acomp_ctx.mutex is moved from the CPU hotplug
callback to the pool initialization where it belongs (where the mutex is
allocated). In addition to adding clarity, this makes sure that CPU
hotplug cannot reinitialize a mutex that is already locked by
compression/decompression.
Previously a fix was attempted by holding cpus_read_lock() [1]. This
would have caused a potential deadlock as it is possible for code already
holding the lock to fall into reclaim and enter zswap (causing a
deadlock). A fix was also attempted using SRCU for synchronization, but
Johannes pointed out that synchronize_srcu() cannot be used in CPU hotplug
notifiers [2].
Alternative fixes that were considered/attempted and could have worked:
- Refcounting the per-CPU acomp_ctx. This involves complexity in
handling the race between the refcount dropping to zero in
zswap_[de]compress() and the refcount being re-initialized when the
CPU is onlined. - Disabling migration before getting the per-CPU acomp_ctx [3], but
that's discouraged and is a much bigger hammer than needed, and could
result in subtle performance issues.
[1]https://lkml.kernel.org/[email protected]/
[2]https://lkml.kernel.org/[email protected]/
[3]https://lkml.kernel.org/[email protected]/
[[email protected]: remove comment]
Link: https://lkml.kernel.org/r/CAJD7tkaxS1wjn+swugt8QCvQ-rVF5RZnjxwPGX17k8x9zSManA@mail.gmail.com
Impact
Memory is accessed after it has been freed, leading to undefined behavior in native code. Typical impact: memory corruption, crash, or potential code execution.
CVE-2025-21693 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (High). 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-2025-21693? CVE-2025-21693 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability. No fixed version is listed yet. Memory is accessed after it has been freed, leading to undefined behavior in native code.
- How severe is CVE-2025-21693? CVE-2025-21693 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (High). 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-2025-21693? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-21693 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-21693 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-21693 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-2025-21693 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.