Vulnerabilities
Misconfiguration
Compliance
CVE Vulnerabilities

CVE-2025-21981

Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime

Published: Apr 01, 2025 | Modified: Nov 03, 2025
CVSS 3.x
5.5
MEDIUM
Source:
NVD
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS 2.x
RedHat/V2
RedHat/V3
4.4 LOW
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Ubuntu
MEDIUM
Vulnerability-free packages from our partners
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Additional information
NVDhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-21981
CWEhttps://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/401.html

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ice: fix memory leak in aRFS after reset

Fix aRFS (accelerated Receive Flow Steering) structures memory leak by adding a checker to verify if aRFS memory is already allocated while configuring VSI. aRFS objects are allocated in two cases:

  • as part of VSI initialization (at probe), and
  • as part of reset handling

However, VSI reconfiguration executed during reset involves memory allocation one more time, without prior releasing already allocated resources. This led to the memory leak with the following signature:

[root@os-delivery ~]# cat /sys/kernel/debug/kmemleak unreferenced object 0xff3c1ca7252e6000 (size 8192): comm kworker/0:0, pid 8, jiffies 4296833052 hex dump (first 32 bytes): 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ……………. 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ……………. backtrace (crc 0): [] __kmalloc_cache_noprof+0x275/0x340 [] ice_init_arfs+0x3a/0xe0 [ice] [] ice_vsi_cfg_def+0x607/0x850 [ice] [] ice_vsi_setup+0x5b/0x130 [ice] [] ice_init+0x1c1/0x460 [ice] [] ice_probe+0x2af/0x520 [ice] [] local_pci_probe+0x43/0xa0 [] work_for_cpu_fn+0x13/0x20 [] process_one_work+0x179/0x390 [] worker_thread+0x239/0x340 [] kthread+0xcc/0x100 [] ret_from_fork+0x2d/0x50 [] ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 …

Weakness

The product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, making the memory unavailable for reallocation and reuse.

Affected Software

NameVendorStart VersionEnd Version
Linux_kernelLinux5.8 (including)6.1.132 (excluding)
Linux_kernelLinux6.2 (including)6.6.84 (excluding)
Linux_kernelLinux6.7 (including)6.12.20 (excluding)
Linux_kernelLinux6.13 (including)6.13.8 (excluding)
Linux_kernelLinux6.14-rc1 (including)6.14-rc1 (including)
Linux_kernelLinux6.14-rc2 (including)6.14-rc2 (including)
Linux_kernelLinux6.14-rc3 (including)6.14-rc3 (including)
Linux_kernelLinux6.14-rc4 (including)6.14-rc4 (including)
Linux_kernelLinux6.14-rc5 (including)6.14-rc5 (including)
Linux_kernelLinux6.14-rc6 (including)6.14-rc6 (including)
LinuxUbuntujammy*
LinuxUbuntunoble*
LinuxUbuntuoracular*
LinuxUbuntuupstream*
Linux-allwinner-5.19Ubuntujammy*
Linux-allwinner-5.19Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-awsUbuntujammy*
Linux-awsUbuntunoble*
Linux-awsUbuntuoracular*
Linux-awsUbuntuupstream*
Linux-aws-5.0Ubuntubionic*
Linux-aws-5.0Ubuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Linux-aws-5.0Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-aws-5.11Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-aws-5.11Ubuntufocal*
Linux-aws-5.11Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-aws-5.13Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-aws-5.13Ubuntufocal*
Linux-aws-5.13Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-aws-5.15Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-aws-5.15Ubuntufocal*
Linux-aws-5.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-aws-5.19Ubuntujammy*
Linux-aws-5.19Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-aws-5.3Ubuntubionic*
Linux-aws-5.3Ubuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Linux-aws-5.3Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-aws-5.4Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-aws-5.8Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-aws-5.8Ubuntufocal*
Linux-aws-5.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-aws-6.14Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-aws-6.2Ubuntujammy*
Linux-aws-6.2Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-aws-6.5Ubuntujammy*
Linux-aws-6.5Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-aws-6.8Ubuntujammy*
Linux-aws-6.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-aws-fipsUbuntufips-preview/jammy*
Linux-aws-fipsUbuntufips-updates/jammy*
Linux-aws-fipsUbuntufips-updates/noble*
Linux-aws-fipsUbuntutrusty*
Linux-aws-fipsUbuntuupstream*
Linux-aws-fipsUbuntuxenial*
Linux-aws-hweUbuntuupstream*
Linux-azureUbuntubionic*
Linux-azureUbuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Linux-azureUbuntujammy*
Linux-azureUbuntunoble*
Linux-azureUbuntuoracular*
Linux-azureUbuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-4.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-5.11Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-azure-5.11Ubuntufocal*
Linux-azure-5.11Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-5.13Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-azure-5.13Ubuntufocal*
Linux-azure-5.13Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-5.15Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-azure-5.15Ubuntufocal*
Linux-azure-5.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-5.19Ubuntujammy*
Linux-azure-5.19Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-5.3Ubuntubionic*
Linux-azure-5.3Ubuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Linux-azure-5.3Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-5.4Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-5.8Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-azure-5.8Ubuntufocal*
Linux-azure-5.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-6.11Ubuntunoble*
Linux-azure-6.11Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-6.14Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-6.2Ubuntujammy*
Linux-azure-6.2Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-6.5Ubuntujammy*
Linux-azure-6.5Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-6.8Ubuntujammy*
Linux-azure-6.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-edgeUbuntubionic*
Linux-azure-edgeUbuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Linux-azure-edgeUbuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-fdeUbuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-azure-fdeUbuntufocal*
Linux-azure-fdeUbuntujammy*
Linux-azure-fdeUbuntuplucky*
Linux-azure-fdeUbuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-fde-5.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-fde-5.19Ubuntujammy*
Linux-azure-fde-5.19Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-fde-6.14Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-fde-6.2Ubuntujammy*
Linux-azure-fde-6.2Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-fde-6.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-fipsUbuntufips-preview/jammy*
Linux-azure-fipsUbuntufips-updates/jammy*
Linux-azure-fipsUbuntufips-updates/noble*
Linux-azure-fipsUbuntutrusty*
Linux-azure-fipsUbuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-fipsUbuntuxenial*
Linux-azure-nvidiaUbuntunoble*
Linux-azure-nvidiaUbuntuupstream*
Linux-azure-nvidia-6.14Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-bluefieldUbuntubluefield/jammy*
Linux-bluefieldUbuntuupstream*
Linux-fipsUbuntufips-preview/jammy*
Linux-fipsUbuntufips-updates/jammy*
Linux-fipsUbuntufips-updates/noble*
Linux-fipsUbuntuupstream*
Linux-gcpUbuntubionic*
Linux-gcpUbuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Linux-gcpUbuntujammy*
Linux-gcpUbuntunoble*
Linux-gcpUbuntuoracular*
Linux-gcpUbuntuupstream*
Linux-gcp-4.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gcp-5.11Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-gcp-5.11Ubuntufocal*
Linux-gcp-5.11Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gcp-5.13Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-gcp-5.13Ubuntufocal*
Linux-gcp-5.13Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gcp-5.15Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-gcp-5.15Ubuntufocal*
Linux-gcp-5.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gcp-5.19Ubuntujammy*
Linux-gcp-5.19Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gcp-5.3Ubuntubionic*
Linux-gcp-5.3Ubuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Linux-gcp-5.3Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gcp-5.4Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gcp-5.8Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-gcp-5.8Ubuntufocal*
Linux-gcp-5.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gcp-6.11Ubuntunoble*
Linux-gcp-6.11Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gcp-6.14Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gcp-6.2Ubuntujammy*
Linux-gcp-6.2Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gcp-6.5Ubuntujammy*
Linux-gcp-6.5Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gcp-6.8Ubuntujammy*
Linux-gcp-6.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gcp-fipsUbuntufips-preview/jammy*
Linux-gcp-fipsUbuntufips-updates/jammy*
Linux-gcp-fipsUbuntufips-updates/noble*
Linux-gcp-fipsUbuntutrusty*
Linux-gcp-fipsUbuntuupstream*
Linux-gcp-fipsUbuntuxenial*
Linux-gkeUbuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-gkeUbuntufocal*
Linux-gkeUbuntujammy*
Linux-gkeUbuntunoble*
Linux-gkeUbuntuupstream*
Linux-gkeUbuntuxenial*
Linux-gke-4.15Ubuntubionic*
Linux-gke-4.15Ubuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Linux-gke-4.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gke-5.15Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-gke-5.15Ubuntufocal*
Linux-gke-5.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gke-5.4Ubuntubionic*
Linux-gke-5.4Ubuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Linux-gke-5.4Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gkeopUbuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-gkeopUbuntufocal*
Linux-gkeopUbuntujammy*
Linux-gkeopUbuntunoble*
Linux-gkeopUbuntuupstream*
Linux-gkeop-5.15Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-gkeop-5.15Ubuntufocal*
Linux-gkeop-5.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-gkeop-5.4Ubuntubionic*
Linux-gkeop-5.4Ubuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Linux-gkeop-5.4Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-hweUbuntubionic*
Linux-hweUbuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Linux-hweUbuntuupstream*
Linux-hwe-5.11Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-hwe-5.11Ubuntufocal*
Linux-hwe-5.11Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-hwe-5.13Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-hwe-5.13Ubuntufocal*
Linux-hwe-5.13Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-hwe-5.15Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-hwe-5.15Ubuntufocal*
Linux-hwe-5.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-hwe-5.19Ubuntujammy*
Linux-hwe-5.19Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-hwe-5.4Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-hwe-5.8Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-hwe-5.8Ubuntufocal*
Linux-hwe-5.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-hwe-6.11Ubuntunoble*
Linux-hwe-6.11Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-hwe-6.14Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-hwe-6.2Ubuntujammy*
Linux-hwe-6.2Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-hwe-6.5Ubuntujammy*
Linux-hwe-6.5Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-hwe-6.8Ubuntujammy*
Linux-hwe-6.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-hwe-edgeUbuntubionic*
Linux-hwe-edgeUbuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Linux-hwe-edgeUbuntuesm-infra/xenial*
Linux-hwe-edgeUbuntuupstream*
Linux-hwe-edgeUbuntuxenial*
Linux-ibmUbuntujammy*
Linux-ibmUbuntunoble*
Linux-ibmUbuntuupstream*
Linux-ibm-5.15Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-ibm-5.15Ubuntufocal*
Linux-ibm-5.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-ibm-5.4Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-ibm-6.8Ubuntujammy*
Linux-ibm-6.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-intelUbuntunoble*
Linux-intelUbuntuupstream*
Linux-intel-5.13Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-intel-5.13Ubuntufocal*
Linux-intel-5.13Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-intel-iot-realtimeUbuntujammy*
Linux-intel-iot-realtimeUbunturealtime/jammy*
Linux-intel-iot-realtimeUbuntuupstream*
Linux-intel-iotgUbuntujammy*
Linux-intel-iotgUbuntuupstream*
Linux-intel-iotg-5.15Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-intel-iotg-5.15Ubuntufocal*
Linux-intel-iotg-5.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-iotUbuntuupstream*
Linux-kvmUbuntujammy*
Linux-kvmUbuntuupstream*
Linux-lowlatencyUbuntujammy*
Linux-lowlatencyUbuntunoble*
Linux-lowlatencyUbuntuoracular*
Linux-lowlatencyUbuntuupstream*
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15Ubuntufocal*
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19Ubuntujammy*
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11Ubuntunoble*
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2Ubuntujammy*
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5Ubuntujammy*
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8Ubuntujammy*
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-lts-xenialUbuntuupstream*
Linux-nvidiaUbuntujammy*
Linux-nvidiaUbuntunoble*
Linux-nvidiaUbuntuupstream*
Linux-nvidia-6.11Ubuntunoble*
Linux-nvidia-6.11Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-nvidia-6.2Ubuntujammy*
Linux-nvidia-6.2Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-nvidia-6.5Ubuntujammy*
Linux-nvidia-6.5Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-nvidia-6.8Ubuntujammy*
Linux-nvidia-6.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-nvidia-lowlatencyUbuntunoble*
Linux-nvidia-lowlatencyUbuntuupstream*
Linux-nvidia-tegraUbuntujammy*
Linux-nvidia-tegraUbuntunoble*
Linux-nvidia-tegraUbuntuupstream*
Linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15Ubuntufocal*
Linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-nvidia-tegra-igxUbuntujammy*
Linux-nvidia-tegra-igxUbuntuupstream*
Linux-oemUbuntubionic*
Linux-oemUbuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Linux-oemUbuntuupstream*
Linux-oemUbuntuxenial*
Linux-oem-5.10Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-oem-5.10Ubuntufocal*
Linux-oem-5.10Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oem-5.13Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-oem-5.13Ubuntufocal*
Linux-oem-5.13Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oem-5.14Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-oem-5.14Ubuntufocal*
Linux-oem-5.14Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oem-5.17Ubuntujammy*
Linux-oem-5.17Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oem-5.6Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-oem-5.6Ubuntufocal*
Linux-oem-5.6Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oem-6.0Ubuntujammy*
Linux-oem-6.0Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oem-6.1Ubuntujammy*
Linux-oem-6.1Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oem-6.11Ubuntunoble*
Linux-oem-6.11Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oem-6.14Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oem-6.17Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oem-6.5Ubuntujammy*
Linux-oem-6.5Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oem-6.8Ubuntunoble*
Linux-oem-6.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oracleUbuntujammy*
Linux-oracleUbuntunoble*
Linux-oracleUbuntuoracular*
Linux-oracleUbuntuupstream*
Linux-oracle-5.0Ubuntubionic*
Linux-oracle-5.0Ubuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Linux-oracle-5.0Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oracle-5.11Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-oracle-5.11Ubuntufocal*
Linux-oracle-5.11Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oracle-5.13Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-oracle-5.13Ubuntufocal*
Linux-oracle-5.13Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oracle-5.15Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-oracle-5.15Ubuntufocal*
Linux-oracle-5.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oracle-5.3Ubuntubionic*
Linux-oracle-5.3Ubuntuesm-infra/bionic*
Linux-oracle-5.3Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oracle-5.4Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oracle-5.8Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-oracle-5.8Ubuntufocal*
Linux-oracle-5.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oracle-6.14Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oracle-6.5Ubuntujammy*
Linux-oracle-6.5Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-oracle-6.8Ubuntujammy*
Linux-oracle-6.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-raspiUbuntujammy*
Linux-raspiUbuntunoble*
Linux-raspiUbuntuoracular*
Linux-raspiUbuntuupstream*
Linux-raspi-5.4Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-raspi-realtimeUbuntunoble*
Linux-raspi-realtimeUbunturealtime/noble*
Linux-raspi-realtimeUbuntuupstream*
Linux-raspi2Ubuntubionic*
Linux-raspi2Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-raspi2Ubuntufocal*
Linux-raspi2Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-raspi2Ubuntuxenial*
Linux-realtimeUbuntujammy*
Linux-realtimeUbuntunoble*
Linux-realtimeUbuntuoracular*
Linux-realtimeUbunturealtime/jammy*
Linux-realtimeUbunturealtime/noble*
Linux-realtimeUbuntuupstream*
Linux-realtime-6.14Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-realtime-6.8Ubunturealtime/jammy*
Linux-realtime-6.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-riscvUbuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-riscvUbuntufocal*
Linux-riscvUbuntujammy*
Linux-riscvUbuntunoble*
Linux-riscvUbuntuoracular*
Linux-riscvUbuntuupstream*
Linux-riscv-5.11Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-riscv-5.11Ubuntufocal*
Linux-riscv-5.11Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-riscv-5.15Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-riscv-5.15Ubuntufocal*
Linux-riscv-5.15Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-riscv-5.19Ubuntujammy*
Linux-riscv-5.19Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-riscv-5.8Ubuntuesm-infra/focal*
Linux-riscv-5.8Ubuntufocal*
Linux-riscv-5.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-riscv-6.14Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-riscv-6.5Ubuntujammy*
Linux-riscv-6.5Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-riscv-6.8Ubuntujammy*
Linux-riscv-6.8Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-starfive-5.19Ubuntujammy*
Linux-starfive-5.19Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-starfive-6.2Ubuntujammy*
Linux-starfive-6.2Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-starfive-6.5Ubuntujammy*
Linux-starfive-6.5Ubuntuupstream*
Linux-xilinxUbuntunoble*
Linux-xilinxUbuntuupstream*
Linux-xilinx-zynqmpUbuntujammy*
Linux-xilinx-zynqmpUbuntuupstream*

Potential Mitigations

  • Choose a language or tool that provides automatic memory management, or makes manual memory management less error-prone.
  • For example, glibc in Linux provides protection against free of invalid pointers.
  • When using Xcode to target OS X or iOS, enable automatic reference counting (ARC) [REF-391].
  • To help correctly and consistently manage memory when programming in C++, consider using a smart pointer class such as std::auto_ptr (defined by ISO/IEC ISO/IEC 14882:2003), std::shared_ptr and std::unique_ptr (specified by an upcoming revision of the C++ standard, informally referred to as C++ 1x), or equivalent solutions such as Boost.

References

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