CVE-2025-21923 HID: hid-steam: Fix use-after-free when detaching device
A use-after-free in the Linux kernel's hid-steam driver allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges when detaching a device.
- 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
What is CVE-2025-21923?
CVE-2025-21923 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 1 Apr 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:
HID: hid-steam: Fix use-after-free when detaching device
When a hid-steam device is removed it must clean up the client_hdev used for intercepting hidraw access. This can lead to scheduling deferred work to reattach the input device. Though the cleanup cancels the deferred work, this was done before the client_hdev itself is cleaned up, so it gets rescheduled. This patch fixes the ordering to make sure the deferred work is properly canceled.
Weakness: CWE-416
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-21923?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2025-21923?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2025-21923 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-21923 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as AZL-59940, BELL-CVE-2025-21923, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-21923, GHSA-5f2m-5gjf-8mqg, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21923.