CVE-2021-22555
Published 2021-07-07 · Updated 2026-10-13 · Source cve-coordination@google.com
Summary
CVE-2021-22555 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.3) vulnerability in Linux Kernel. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on October 6, 2025, which means exploitation in the wild has been confirmed; US federal agencies had to remediate it by October 27, 2025. CISA does not currently list it as used in ransomware campaigns. Linux has 32 vulnerabilities in the KEV catalog, 2 of them linked to ransomware.
All 32 known-exploited Linux vulnerabilities →Description
A heap out-of-bounds write affecting Linux since v2.6.19-rc1 was discovered in net/netfilter/x_tables.c. This allows an attacker to gain privileges or cause a DoS (via heap memory corruption) through user name space
CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CISA Known-Exploited Vulnerability
Product: Linux — Kernel
Name: Linux Kernel Heap Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability
Date added: 2025-10-06 · Due: 2025-10-27
Required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/163528/Linux-Kernel-Netfilter-Heap-Out-Of-Bounds-Write.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/163878/Kernel-Live-Patch-Security-Notice-LSN-0080-1.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164155/Kernel-Live-Patch-Security-Notice-LSN-0081-1.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164437/Netfilter-x_tables-Heap-Out-Of-Bounds-Write-Privilege-Escalation.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/165477/Kernel-Live-Patch-Security-Notice-LSN-0083-1.html
- https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/net/netfilter/x_tables.c?id=9fa492cdc160cd27ce1046cb36f47d3b2b1efa21
- https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/net/netfilter/x_tables.c?id=b29c457a6511435960115c0f548c4360d5f4801d
- https://github.com/google/security-research/security/advisories/GHSA-xxx5-8mvq-3528

