CVE-2025-21928 HID: intel-ish-hid: Fix use-after-free issue in ishtp_hid_remove()
A use-after-free bug in the Intel ISH HID driver causes random system crashes after driver removal, requiring a kernel patch.
- 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-2025-21928?
CVE-2025-21928 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: intel-ish-hid: Fix use-after-free issue in ishtp_hid_remove()
The system can experience a random crash a few minutes after the driver is removed. This issue occurs due to improper handling of memory freeing in the ishtp_hid_remove() function.
The function currently frees the `driver_data` directly within the loop that destroys the HID devices, which can lead to accessing freed memory. Specifically, `hid_destroy_device()` uses `driver_data` when it calls `hid_ishtp_set_feature()` to power off the sensor, so freeing `driver_data` beforehand can result in accessing invalid memory.
This patch resolves the issue by storing the `driver_data` in a temporary variable before calling `hid_destroy_device()`, and then freeing the `driver_data` after the device is destroyed.
Weakness: CWE-416
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-21928?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2025-21928?
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-2025-21928 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-21928 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2025-21928, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-21928, GHSA-v2qv-44ch-jx7v, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2025-21928, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-21928.