# 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.

- **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:** 1 Apr 2025
- **Updated:** 11 May 2026
- **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

## 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 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-21928?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-21928?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## 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

- [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-2025-21928 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-21928 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-2025-21928/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-21928/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-21928
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-21928
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-21928

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-21928/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.