Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tracing: Fix bad hist from...
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
tracing: Fix bad hist from corrupting named_triggers list
The following commands causes a crash:
~# cd /sys/kernel/tracing/events/rcu/rcu_callback
~# echo 'hist:name=bad:keys=common_pid:onmax(bogus).save(common_pid)' > trigger
bash: echo: write error: Invalid argument
~# echo 'hist:name=bad:keys=common_pid' > trigger
Because the following occurs:
event_trigger_write() {
trigger_process_regex() {
event_hist_trigger_parse() {
data = event_trigger_alloc(..);
event_trigger_register(.., data) {
cmd_ops->reg(.., data, ..) [hist_register_trigger()] {
data->ops->init() [event_hist_trigger_init()] {
save_named_trigger(name, data) {
list_add(&data->named_list, &named_triggers);
}
}
}
}
ret = create_actions(); (return -EINVAL)
if (ret)
goto out_unreg;
[..]
ret = hist_trigger_enable(data, ...) {
list_add_tail_rcu(&data->list, &file->triggers); <<<---- SKIPPED!!! (this is important!)
[..]
out_unreg:
event_hist_unregister(.., data) {
cmd_ops->unreg(.., data, ..) [hist_unregister_trigger()] {
list_for_each_entry(iter, &file->triggers, list) {
if (!hist_trigger_match(data, iter, named_data, false)) <- never matches
continue;
[..]
test = iter;
}
if (test && test->ops->free) <<<-- test is NULL
test->ops->free(test) [event_hist_trigger_free()] {
[..]
if (data->name)
del_named_trigger(data) {
list_del(&data->named_list); <<<<-- NEVER gets removed!
}
}
}
}
[..]
kfree(data); <<<-- frees item but it is still on list
The next time a hist with name is registered, it causes an u-a-f bug and
the kernel can crash.
Move the code around such that if event_trigger_register() succeeds, the
next thing called is hist_trigger_enable() which adds it to the list.
A bunch of actions is called if get_named_trigger_data() returns false.
But that doesn't need to be called after event_trigger_register(), so it
can be moved up, allowing event_trigger_register() to be called just
before hist_trigger_enable() keeping them together and allowing the
file->triggers to be properly populated.
Impact
The application dereferences a null pointer, causing a crash. Typical impact: denial of service via crash.
CVE-2025-21899 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-2025-21899? CVE-2025-21899 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-2025-21899? CVE-2025-21899 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-2025-21899? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-21899 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-21899 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-21899 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-2025-21899 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.