# CVE-2025-21726: padata: avoid UAF for reorder_work

> A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel padata subsystem allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 Feb 2025
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2025-21726, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-21726, GHSA-4gxw-5w55-6f5h, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2025-21726, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21726

## What is CVE-2025-21726?

CVE-2025-21726 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Feb 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

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

padata: avoid UAF for reorder_work

Although the previous patch can avoid ps and ps UAF for _do_serial, it
can not avoid potential UAF issue for reorder_work. This issue can
happen just as below:

crypto_request			crypto_request		crypto_del_alg
padata_do_serial
  ...
  padata_reorder
    // processes all remaining
    // requests then breaks
    while (1) {
      if (!padata)
        break;
      ...
    }

				padata_do_serial
				  // new request added
				  list_add
    // sees the new request
    queue_work(reorder_work)
				  padata_reorder
				    queue_work_on(squeue->work)
...

				<kworker context>
				padata_serial_worker
				// completes new request,
				// no more outstanding
				// requests

							crypto_del_alg
							  // free pd

<kworker context>
invoke_padata_reorder
  // UAF of pd

To avoid UAF for 'reorder_work', get 'pd' ref before put 'reorder_work'
into the 'serial_wq' and put 'pd' ref until the 'serial_wq' finish.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-21726?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-21726?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-21726 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-21726 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-21726 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-21726 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Feb 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-21726 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-21726/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-21726/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-21726
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-21726
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-21726

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-21726/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.