Lucene search
K

Azure Linux 3.0 Security Update: kernel (CVE-2025-21681)

🗓️ 22 Jan 2026 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 3 Views

CVE-2025-21681: fix openvswitch lockup on unregistering net devices by checking running state with carrier.

Related
Refs
Code
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(295734);
  script_version("1.1");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/01/22");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2025-21681");

  script_name(english:"Azure Linux 3.0 Security Update: kernel (CVE-2025-21681)");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The remote Azure Linux host is missing one or more security updates.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The version of kernel installed on the remote Azure Linux 3.0 host is prior to tested version. It is, therefore,
affected by a vulnerability as referenced in the CVE-2025-21681 advisory.

  - In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: openvswitch: fix lockup on tx to
    unregistering netdev with carrier Commit in a fixes tag attempted to fix the issue in the following
    sequence of calls: do_output -> ovs_vport_send -> dev_queue_xmit -> __dev_queue_xmit ->
    netdev_core_pick_tx -> skb_tx_hash When device is unregistering, the 'dev->real_num_tx_queues' goes to
    zero and the 'while (unlikely(hash >= qcount))' loop inside the 'skb_tx_hash' becomes infinite, locking up
    the core forever. But unfortunately, checking just the carrier status is not enough to fix the issue,
    because some devices May still be in unregistering state while reporting carrier status OK. One example of
    such device is a net/dummy. It sets carrier ON on start, but it doesn't implement .ndo_stop to set the
    carrier off. And it makes sense, because dummy doesn't really have a carrier. Therefore, while this device
    is unregistering, it's still easy to hit the infinite loop in the skb_tx_hash() from the OVS datapath.
    There might be other drivers that do the same, but dummy by itself is important for the OVS ecosystem,
    because it is frequently used as a packet sink for tcpdump while debugging OVS deployments. And when the
    issue is hit, the only way to recover is to reboot. Fix that by also checking if the device is running.
    The running state is handled by the net core during unregistering, so it covers unregistering case better,
    and we don't really need to send packets to devices that are not running anyway. While only checking the
    running state might be enough, the carrier check is preserved. The running and the carrier states seem
    disjoined throughout the code and different drivers. And other core functions like __dev_direct_xmit()
    check both before attempting to transmit a packet. So, it seems safer to check both flags in OVS as well.
    (CVE-2025-21681)

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version
number.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-21681");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Update the affected packages.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:L/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:N/A:C");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2025-21681");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2025/01/30");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2025/03/11");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2026/01/22");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:bpftool");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-debuginfo");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-devel");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-docs");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-drivers-accessibility");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-drivers-gpu");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-drivers-intree-amdgpu");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-drivers-sound");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:kernel-tools");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:microsoft:azure_linux:python3-perf");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"x-cpe:/o:microsoft:azure_linux");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Azure Linux Local Security Checks");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2026 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info2.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/local_checks_enabled", "Host/AzureLinux/release", "Host/AzureLinux/rpm-list", "Host/cpu");

  exit(0);
}
include('rpm.inc');

if (!get_kb_item('Host/local_checks_enabled')) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
var release = get_kb_item('Host/AzureLinux/release');
if (isnull(release) || 'Azure Linux' >!< release) audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, 'Azure Linux');
var os_ver = pregmatch(pattern: "Azure Linux ([0-9]+(\.[0-9]+)?)", string:release);
if (isnull(os_ver)) audit(AUDIT_UNKNOWN_APP_VER, 'Azure Linux');
os_ver = os_ver[1];
if (! preg(pattern:"^3([^0-9]|$)", string:os_ver)) audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, 'Azure Linux 3.0', 'Azure Linux ' + os_ver);

if (!get_kb_item('Host/AzureLinux/rpm-list')) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

var cpu = get_kb_item('Host/cpu');
if (isnull(cpu)) audit(AUDIT_UNKNOWN_ARCH);
if ('x86_64' >!< cpu && cpu !~ "^i[3-6]86$" && 'aarch64' >!< cpu)
  audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_IMPLEMENTED, 'Azure Linux', cpu);

var pkgs = [
    {'reference':'bpftool-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'bpftool-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-debuginfo-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-debuginfo-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-devel-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-devel-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-docs-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-docs-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-accessibility-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-accessibility-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-gpu-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-gpu-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-intree-amdgpu-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-intree-amdgpu-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-sound-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-drivers-sound-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-tools-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'kernel-tools-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'python3-perf-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'aarch64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE},
    {'reference':'python3-perf-6.6.78.1-3.azl3', 'cpu':'x86_64', 'release':'3.0', 'rpm_spec_vers_cmp':TRUE}
];

var flag = 0;
foreach var package_array ( pkgs ) {
  var reference = NULL;
  var _release = NULL;
  var sp = NULL;
  var _cpu = NULL;
  var el_string = NULL;
  var rpm_spec_vers_cmp = NULL;
  var epoch = NULL;
  var allowmaj = NULL;
  var exists_check = NULL;
  var cves = NULL;
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['reference'])) reference = package_array['reference'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['release'])) _release = 'Azure Linux ' + package_array['release'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['sp'])) sp = package_array['sp'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['cpu'])) _cpu = package_array['cpu'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['el_string'])) el_string = package_array['el_string'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['rpm_spec_vers_cmp'])) rpm_spec_vers_cmp = package_array['rpm_spec_vers_cmp'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['epoch'])) epoch = package_array['epoch'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['allowmaj'])) allowmaj = package_array['allowmaj'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['exists_check'])) exists_check = package_array['exists_check'];
  if (!empty_or_null(package_array['cves'])) cves = package_array['cves'];
  if (reference && _release && (!exists_check || rpm_exists(release:_release, rpm:exists_check))) {
    if (rpm_check(release:_release, sp:sp, cpu:_cpu, reference:reference, epoch:epoch, el_string:el_string, rpm_spec_vers_cmp:rpm_spec_vers_cmp, allowmaj:allowmaj, cves:cves)) flag++;
  }
}

if (flag)
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_WARNING,
      extra      : rpm_report_get()
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  var tested = pkg_tests_get();
  if (tested) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_AFFECTED, tested);
  else audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_NOT_INSTALLED, 'bpftool / kernel / kernel-debuginfo / kernel-devel / kernel-docs / etc');
}

Data

Build on a solid foundation with Vulners data

We provide the essential building blocks for cybersecurity solutions with comprehensive, structured, and constantly updated vulnerability and exploits data

Api

Power your application with Vulners API

The Vulners REST API offers reliable, high-performance access to vulnerability intelligence, with 99.9% SLA uptime and CDN-backed data delivery for seamless global access

App

Assess and manage vulnerabilities with Vulners tools

Built on top of Vulners' database and SDK, end-user solutions give security professionals and developers lightweight and powerful tools for vulnerability remediation

22 Jan 2026 00:00Current
5.5Medium risk
Vulners AI Score5.5
CVSS 3.15.5
EPSS0.002
3