CVE-2025-22032
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a null pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's MediaTek MT7921 WiFi driver. It can cause kernel panics and system crashes when processing network packets, affecting systems using MediaTek WiFi hardware with vulnerable kernel versions.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with MediaTek MT7921 WiFi driver
📦 What is this software?
Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system crash and denial of service, requiring physical access or remote reboot to restore functionality.
Likely Case
System instability, kernel panics, and service interruptions when processing certain WiFi traffic patterns.
If Mitigated
Minor performance impact or no impact if the vulnerable code path isn't triggered.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires sending crafted network packets to trigger the null pointer dereference. No public exploit code is mentioned in the CVE.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Patched in kernel commits: 0cfea60966e4b1239d20bebf02258295e189e82a, 5a57f8eb2a17d469d65cd1186cea26b798221d4a, adc3fd2a2277b7cc0b61692463771bf9bd298036, effec50381991bc067acf4b3351a57831c74d27f
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0cfea60966e4b1239d20bebf02258295e189e82a
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Rebuild kernel if compiling from source. 3. Reboot system to load patched kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable MT7921 WiFi
linuxTemporarily disable the vulnerable WiFi hardware if not essential
sudo modprobe -r mt7921e
sudo modprobe -r mt7921s
sudo modprobe -r mt7921u
Use wired networking
allSwitch to wired Ethernet connection instead of WiFi
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable WiFi functionality and use alternative networking methods
- Implement network segmentation to isolate WiFi traffic and limit exposure
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if MT7921 driver is loaded: lsmod | grep mt7921Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits and check dmesg for absence of mt792x_rx_get_wcid errors📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages mentioning mt792x_rx_get_wcid
- NULL pointer dereference errors in dmesg/syslog
- WiFi driver crash logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual WiFi disconnections
- Increased packet loss on WiFi interfaces
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("mt792x_rx_get_wcid" OR "NULL pointer dereference" OR "kernel panic")