Skip to content
Noroxi
NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

CVE-2025-21738: ata: libata-sff: Ensure that we cannot write outside the allocated buffer

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 22/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.22% (FIRST EPSS).
  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: Linux Linux 0a17a9944b8d89ef03946121241870ac53ddaf45, 0dd5aade301a10f4b329fa7454fdcc2518741902, 6e74e53b34b6dec5a50e1404e2680852ec6768d2.
  • Severity is disputed: the assigning authority (CNA) scores it 7.8, NVD 5.5.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 0a17a9944b8d89ef03946121241870ac53ddaf45, 0dd5aade301a10f4b329fa7454fdcc2518741902, 6e74e53b34b6dec5a50e1404e2680852ec6768d2 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ata: libata-sff: Ensure that we cannot write outside the allocated buffer reveliofuzzing reported that a SCSI_IOCTL_SEND_COMMAND ioctl with out_len set to 0xd42, SCSI command set to ATA_16 PASS-THROUGH, ATA command set to ATA_NOP, and protocol set to ATA_PROT_PIO, can cause ata_pio_sector() to write outside the allocated buffer, overwriting random memory. While a ATA device is supposed to abort a ATA_NOP command, there does seem to be a bug either in libata-sff or QEMU, where either this status is not set, or the status is cleared before read by ata_sff_hsm_move(). Anyway, that is most likely a separate bug. Looking at __atapi_pio_bytes(), it already has a safety check to ensure that __atapi_pio_bytes() cannot write outside the allocated buffer. Add a similar check to ata_pio_sector(), such that also ata_pio_sector() cannot write outside the allocated buffer.

MediumCVSS 5.5 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Feb 27, 2025
Updated
Oct 15, 2026
EPSS
0.2% · 13th percentile
CWE
—

Report tools

JSON

Action score

22

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.2%

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
5.5
CNA · Linux
7.8
2.3 point gap

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

Follow CVE-2025-21738

When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

One daily email digest (06:00 UTC); connect a webhook for KEV listings and weaponized exploits instantly.

Your free account also gets you

Running WordPress? Scan your site free with WP Lens

  • Stack alerts: add the products and versions you run, get the new CVEs that affect them
  • Uptime monitoring: 1 site, instant email when it goes down
  • Add your domain: subdomains and takeover risk scanned every week (1 domain)
  • 10 scans an hour on the security tools (3 a day without an account), an API key and MCP
  • All your scans in one panel: findings, what changed in the last scan, a report per domain or per client (PDF, share link)
All free tools

Sign up with email · Have an account? Sign in

Free account, no card. Unfollow any time.

Don't want an account? Get "Exploited this week" by email every MondayDon't want an account? RSS feed for linux records

Running WordPress? Scan your site free with WP Lens

Is your version affected? Check it

Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

We use this product, ask for help

Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • linux linux kernelbefore 6.1.129
  • linux linux kernel6.2 and later · before 6.6.78
  • linux linux kernel6.7 and later · before 6.12.14
  • linux linux kernel6.13 and later · before 6.13.3

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Linux Linux

    • 2.6.22affected
    • 5a5dbd18a7496ed403f6f54bb20c955c65482fa5 and later · before a8f8cf87059ed1905c2a5c72f8b39a4f57b11b4caffected · git
    • 5a5dbd18a7496ed403f6f54bb20c955c65482fa5 and later · before d5e6e3000309359eae2a17117aa6e3c44897bf6caffected · git
    • 5a5dbd18a7496ed403f6f54bb20c955c65482fa5 and later · before 0dd5aade301a10f4b329fa7454fdcc2518741902affected · git
    • 5a5dbd18a7496ed403f6f54bb20c955c65482fa5 and later · before 0a17a9944b8d89ef03946121241870ac53ddaf45affected · git
    • 5a5dbd18a7496ed403f6f54bb20c955c65482fa5 and later · before 6e74e53b34b6dec5a50e1404e2680852ec6768d2affected · git
    • before 2.6.22not affected · semver
    • 6.1.129 and later · up to and including 6.1.*not affected · semver
    • 6.6.78 and later · up to and including 6.6.*not affected · semver
    • 6.12.14 and later · up to and including 6.12.*not affected · semver

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12linuxbefore 6.1.129-16.1.129-1
Debian:13linuxbefore 6.12.15-16.12.15-1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-ESPOSkernel-64kbbefore 5.14.21-150400.24.197.15.14.21-150400.24.197.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-ESPOSkernel-docsbefore 5.14.21-150400.24.197.15.14.21-150400.24.197.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-ESPOSkernel-obs-buildbefore 5.14.21-150400.24.197.15.14.21-150400.24.197.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-ESPOSkernel-sourcebefore 5.14.21-150400.24.197.15.14.21-150400.24.197.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP4-ESPOSkernel-symsbefore 5.14.21-150400.24.197.15.14.21-150400.24.197.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOSkernel-64kbbefore 5.14.21-150500.55.141.15.14.21-150500.55.141.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOSkernel-docsbefore 5.14.21-150500.55.141.15.14.21-150500.55.141.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOSkernel-obs-buildbefore 5.14.21-150500.55.141.15.14.21-150500.55.141.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP5-ESPOSkernel-symsbefore 5.14.21-150500.55.141.15.14.21-150500.55.141.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5kernel-defaultbefore 4.12.14-122.296.14.12.14-122.296.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_65before 15-2.115-2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_67before 14-2.114-2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_68before 12-2.112-2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_70before 11-2.111-2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_72before 7-2.17-2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_73before 5-2.15-2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_75before 3-2.13-2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_76before 3-2.13-2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_77before 2-2.12-2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_78before 1-8.3.11-8.3.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP4kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP4_Update_36before 16-150400.2.216-150400.2.2
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP4kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP4_Update_37before 16-150400.2.216-150400.2.2

+38

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-31431crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-placeKEV
    90Now
  • CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe KEV
    89Now
  • CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV
    85Now

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2025-21733Feb 27, 2025 · tracing/osnoise: Fix resetting of tracepoints
    22Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2025-21735Feb 27, 2025 · NFC: nci: Add bounds checking in nci_hci_create_pipe()
    31Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2025-21744Feb 27, 2025 · wifi: brcmfmac: fix NULL pointer dereference in brcmf_txfinalize()
    22Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Linux Linux0a17a9944b8d89ef03946121241870ac53ddaf45Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux0dd5aade301a10f4b329fa7454fdcc2518741902Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux6e74e53b34b6dec5a50e1404e2680852ec6768d2Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxa8f8cf87059ed1905c2a5c72f8b39a4f57b11b4cVendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxd5e6e3000309359eae2a17117aa6e3c44897bf6cVendor (CNA)
cbl2 kernel 5.15.202.1-1 on CBL-Mariner 2.0—Microsoft (MSRC)
debian:linux6.1.129-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-default5.3.18-150300.59.238.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-default-base5.3.18-150300.59.238.1.150300.18.142.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP4_Update_3716-150400.2.2 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP4Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP4_Update_491-150400.9.3.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP4Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-rt5.3.18-150300.238.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-source-rt5.3.18-150300.238.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2Package registry (OSV)
suse:kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_6515-2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_6812-2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_727-2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_735-2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_753-2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5Package registry (OSV)
suse:kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_763-2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 12 SP5Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
none
Integrity
none
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
None
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

—

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (6 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records