CVE-2025-21756

HIGH EXPLOITED

Linux Kernel Use-After-Free in vsock_bind (5.5-6.13.3)

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

CVE-2025-21756 has been observed exploited in the wild (reported by VulnCheck KEV). EIP tracks 4 public exploits from researchers including hoefler02, khoatran107, h3raklez.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This repository contains scripts to compress a statically compiled binary into an initramfs and extract a kernel image. The scripts are likely part of an exploit chain for CVE-2025-21756, which involves kernel-level exploitation.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: vsock: Keep the binding until socket destruction Preserve sockets bindings; this includes both resulting from an explicit bind() and those implicitly bound through autobind during connect(). Prevents socket unbinding during a transport reassignment, which fixes a use-after-free: 1. vsock_create() (refcnt=1) calls vsock_insert_unbound() (refcnt=2) 2. transport->release() calls vsock_remove_bound() without checking if sk was bound and moved to bound list (refcnt=1) 3. vsock_bind() assumes sk is in unbound list and before __vsock_insert_bound(vsock_bound_sockets()) calls __vsock_remove_bound() which does: list_del_init(&vsk->bound_table); // nop sock_put(&vsk->sk); // refcnt=0 BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in __vsock_bind+0x62e/0x730 Read of size 4 at addr ffff88816b46a74c by task a.out/2057 dump_stack_lvl+0x68/0x90 print_report+0x174/0x4f6 kasan_report+0xb9/0x190 __vsock_bind+0x62e/0x730 vsock_bind+0x97/0xe0 __sys_bind+0x154/0x1f0 __x64_sys_bind+0x6e/0xb0 do_syscall_64+0x93/0x1b0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e Allocated by task 2057: kasan_save_stack+0x1e/0x40 kasan_save_track+0x10/0x30 __kasan_slab_alloc+0x85/0x90 kmem_cache_alloc_noprof+0x131/0x450 sk_prot_alloc+0x5b/0x220 sk_alloc+0x2c/0x870 __vsock_create.constprop.0+0x2e/0xb60 vsock_create+0xe4/0x420 __sock_create+0x241/0x650 __sys_socket+0xf2/0x1a0 __x64_sys_socket+0x6e/0xb0 do_syscall_64+0x93/0x1b0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e Freed by task 2057: kasan_save_stack+0x1e/0x40 kasan_save_track+0x10/0x30 kasan_save_free_info+0x37/0x60 __kasan_slab_free+0x4b/0x70 kmem_cache_free+0x1a1/0x590 __sk_destruct+0x388/0x5a0 __vsock_bind+0x5e1/0x730 vsock_bind+0x97/0xe0 __sys_bind+0x154/0x1f0 __x64_sys_bind+0x6e/0xb0 do_syscall_64+0x93/0x1b0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e refcount_t: addition on 0; use-after-free. WARNING: CPU: 7 PID: 2057 at lib/refcount.c:25 refcount_warn_saturate+0xce/0x150 RIP: 0010:refcount_warn_saturate+0xce/0x150 __vsock_bind+0x66d/0x730 vsock_bind+0x97/0xe0 __sys_bind+0x154/0x1f0 __x64_sys_bind+0x6e/0xb0 do_syscall_64+0x93/0x1b0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free. WARNING: CPU: 7 PID: 2057 at lib/refcount.c:28 refcount_warn_saturate+0xee/0x150 RIP: 0010:refcount_warn_saturate+0xee/0x150 vsock_remove_bound+0x187/0x1e0 __vsock_release+0x383/0x4a0 vsock_release+0x90/0x120 __sock_release+0xa3/0x250 sock_close+0x14/0x20 __fput+0x359/0xa80 task_work_run+0x107/0x1d0 do_exit+0x847/0x2560 do_group_exit+0xb8/0x250 __x64_sys_exit_group+0x3a/0x50 x64_sys_call+0xfec/0x14f0 do_syscall_64+0x93/0x1b0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x76/0x7e

Exploits (4)

nomisec WORKING POC 156 stars
by hoefler02 · local
https://github.com/hoefler02/CVE-2025-21756

This repository contains scripts to compress a statically compiled binary into an initramfs and extract a kernel image. The scripts are likely part of an exploit chain for CVE-2025-21756, which involves kernel-level exploitation.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Linux Kernel (version not specified)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Access to a vulnerable Linux kernel · Ability to compile and execute custom binaries
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 7 stars
by khoatran107 · local
https://github.com/khoatran107/cve-2025-21756

This repository contains a working exploit for CVE-2025-21756, a use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's VSOCK implementation. The exploit leverages slab manipulation and pipe spraying to achieve arbitrary read/write and ultimately privilege escalation.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Racy
Target: Linux kernel (specific version not specified)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Linux kernel with VSOCK enabled · Unprivileged user access
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WRITEUP
by h3raklez · poc
https://github.com/h3raklez/CVE-2025-21756

This repository provides a detailed technical analysis of CVE-2025-21756, a use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's vsock subsystem, including root cause, patch analysis, and exploitation chain. It also includes lab setup instructions and modifications applied to the original exploit for testing purposes.

Classification
Writeup 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Linux kernel 6.6.75 (and earlier unpatched versions)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Debian 12 or 13 x86_64 · Normal user with sudo access · Minimum 1 GB RAM · 10 GB free disk space
devstral-2 · analyzed Mar 23, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WRITEUP
by KuanKuanQAQ · poc
https://github.com/KuanKuanQAQ/cve-testing

The repository contains documentation and scripts related to Linux kernel ABI, ATA over Ethernet (AoE), and other kernel features. No exploit code or offensive techniques are present.

Classification
Writeup 90%
Attack Type
Other
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Theoretical
Target: Linux kernel documentation
No auth needed
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

Scores

CVSS v3 7.8
EPSS 0.0010
EPSS Percentile 27.7%
Attack Vector LOCAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation poc
Automatable no
Technical Impact total

Details

VulnCheck KEV 2026-01-30
CWE
CWE-416
Status published
Products (23)
linux/Kernel 5.11.0 - 5.15.179linux
linux/Kernel 5.16.0 - 6.1.131linux
linux/Kernel 5.5.0 - 5.10.235linux
linux/Kernel 6.13.0 - 6.13.4linux
linux/Kernel 6.2.0 - 6.6.79linux
linux/Kernel 6.7.0 - 6.12.16linux
Linux/Linux < 5.5
Linux/Linux 5.10.235 - 5.10.*
Linux/Linux 5.15.179 - 5.15.*
Linux/Linux 5.5
... and 13 more
Published Feb 27, 2025
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026