# CVE-2025-21921: linux: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: ethtool: netlink: Allow NULL nlattrs when g... CVE-2025-21921 is fixed in 36 products on 1 platform, first by DEBIAN-CVE-2025-21921, released April 1, 2025. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: Routine. - Web page: https://patchblox.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-21921 - Priority: Routine - CVSS: 5.5 (medium) - EPSS: 0.0021 - CISA KEV: not listed - Exploited (vendor report): no - Publicly disclosed: no - Published: Apr 1, 2025 ## Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: ethtool: netlink: Allow NULL nlattrs when getting a phy_device ethnl_req_get_phydev() is used to lookup a phy_device, in the case an ethtool netlink command targets a specific phydev within a netdev's topology. It takes as a parameter a const struct nlattr *header that's used for error handling : if (!phydev) { NL_SET_ERR_MSG_ATTR(extack, header, "no phy matching phyindex"); return ERR_PTR(-ENODEV); } In the notify path after a ->set operation however, there's no request attributes available. The typical callsite for the above function looks like: phydev = ethnl_req_get_phydev(req_base, tb[ETHTOOL_A_XXX_HEADER], info->extack); So, when tb is NULL (such as in the ethnl notify path), we have a nice crash. It turns out that there's only the PLCA command that is in that case, as the other phydev-specific commands don't have a notification. This commit fixes the crash by passing the cmd index and the nlattr array separately, allowing NULL-checking it directly inside the helper. ## Where it's fixed | Platform | Product | Fixed in | Fix | Released | |---|---|---|---|---| | Linux | kernel-uek ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-core ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-core ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-core ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-core ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-devel ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-devel ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules-core ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules-core ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules-deprecated ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules-deprecated ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules-desktop ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules-desktop ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules-extra ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules-extra ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules-extra-netfilter ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules-extra-netfilter ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules-usb ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules-usb ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules-wireless ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-debug-modules-wireless ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-devel ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-devel ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-doc ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-doc ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules-core ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules-core ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules-deprecated ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules-deprecated ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules-desktop ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules-desktop ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules-extra ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules-extra ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules-extra-netfilter ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules-extra-netfilter ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules-usb ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules-usb ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules-wireless ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-modules-wireless ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-tools ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek-tools ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-core ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-core ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-devel ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-devel ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules-core ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules-core ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules-deprecated ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules-deprecated ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules-desktop ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules-desktop ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules-extra ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules-extra ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules-extra-netfilter ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules-extra-netfilter ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules-usb ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules-usb ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules-wireless ol 10 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | kernel-uek64k-modules-wireless ol 9 | 0:6.12.0-101.33.4.3.el9uek | [ELSA-2025-20480](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2025-20480.md) | Jul 17, 2025 | | Linux | linux Debian 13.5 (trixie) | 6.12.19-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2025-21921](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2025-21921.md) | Apr 1, 2025 | | Linux | linux Debian 14 | 6.12.19-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2025-21921](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2025-21921.md) | Apr 1, 2025 | --- Data as of 2026-11-09T19:38:12Z UTC. 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