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NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

CVE-2025-40159: xsk: Harden userspace-supplied xdp_desc validation

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 31/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.15% (FIRST EPSS).
  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: Linux Linux 07ca98f906a403637fc5e513a872a50ef1247f3b, 1463cd066f32efd56ddfd3ac4e3524200f362980, 5b5fffa7c81e55d8c8edf05ad40d811ec7047e21.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 07ca98f906a403637fc5e513a872a50ef1247f3b, 1463cd066f32efd56ddfd3ac4e3524200f362980, 5b5fffa7c81e55d8c8edf05ad40d811ec7047e21 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xsk: Harden userspace-supplied xdp_desc validation Turned out certain clearly invalid values passed in xdp_desc from userspace can pass xp_{,un}aligned_validate_desc() and then lead to UBs or just invalid frames to be queued for xmit. desc->len close to ``U32_MAX`` with a non-zero pool->tx_metadata_len can cause positive integer overflow and wraparound, the same way low enough desc->addr with a non-zero pool->tx_metadata_len can cause negative integer overflow. Both scenarios can then pass the validation successfully. This doesn't happen with valid XSk applications, but can be used to perform attacks. Always promote desc->len to ``u64`` first to exclude positive overflows of it. Use explicit check_{add,sub}_overflow() when validating desc->addr (which is ``u64`` already). bloat-o-meter reports a little growth of the code size: add/remove: 0/0 grow/shrink: 2/1 up/down: 60/-16 (44) Function old new delta xskq_cons_peek_desc 299 330 +31 xsk_tx_peek_release_desc_batch 973 1002 +29 xsk_generic_xmit 3148 3132 -16 but hopefully this doesn't hurt the performance much.

HighCVSS 7.8 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Nov 12, 2025
Updated
Oct 19, 2026
EPSS
0.1% · 4th percentile
CWE
—

Report tools

JSON

Action score

31

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
31 / 40 · 7.8 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.1%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
total

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
—
CNA · Linux
7.8
NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

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When you'll hear from us

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

—

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Linux Linux

    • 6.8affected
    • 341ac980eab90ac1f6c22ee9f9da83ed9604d899 and later · before 1463cd066f32efd56ddfd3ac4e3524200f362980affected · git
    • 341ac980eab90ac1f6c22ee9f9da83ed9604d899 and later · before 5b5fffa7c81e55d8c8edf05ad40d811ec7047e21affected · git
    • 341ac980eab90ac1f6c22ee9f9da83ed9604d899 and later · before 07ca98f906a403637fc5e513a872a50ef1247f3baffected · git
    • before 6.8not affected · semver
    • 6.12.54 and later · up to and including 6.12.*not affected · semver
    • 6.17.4 and later · up to and including 6.17.*not affected · semver
    • 6.18 and laternot affected · original_commit_for_fix

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:13linuxbefore 6.12.57-16.12.57-1
Debian:14linuxbefore 6.17.6-16.17.6-1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_11before 14-150600.2.114-150600.2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_12before 14-150600.2.114-150600.2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_13before 12-150600.2.112-150600.2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_14before 8-150600.2.18-150600.2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_16before 5-150600.2.15-150600.2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_17before 3-150600.2.13-150600.2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_9before 16-150600.2.116-150600.2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7_Update_0before 13-150700.3.36.113-150700.3.36.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7_Update_4before 8-150700.2.18-150700.2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7_Update_5before 5-150700.2.15-150700.2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7_Update_6before 3-150700.2.13-150700.2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7-RT_Update_1before 13-150700.2.113-150700.2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7-RT_Update_5before 5-150700.2.15-150700.2.1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7-RT_Update_6before 4-150700.2.14-150700.2.1
SUSE:Linux Micro 6.1kernel-livepatch-MICRO-6-0_Update_10before 8-1.18-1.1
SUSE:Linux Micro 6.1kernel-livepatch-MICRO-6-0_Update_11before 7-1.17-1.1
SUSE:Linux Micro 6.1kernel-livepatch-MICRO-6-0_Update_12before 7-1.17-1.1
SUSE:Linux Micro 6.1kernel-livepatch-MICRO-6-0_Update_13before 5-1.15-1.1
SUSE:Linux Micro 6.1kernel-livepatch-MICRO-6-0_Update_5before 18-1.218-1.2
SUSE:Linux Micro 6.1kernel-livepatch-MICRO-6-0_Update_6before 16-3.116-3.1
SUSE:Linux Micro 6.1kernel-livepatch-MICRO-6-0_Update_7before 15-1.215-1.2
SUSE:Linux Micro 6.1kernel-livepatch-MICRO-6-0_Update_8before 14-1.214-1.2

+17

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-74705udp: fix potential use-after-free in tunnel segmentation
    40Plan
  • CVE-2026-74612veth: fix skb length accounting after XDP frag adjustment
    40Plan
  • CVE-2026-74475vxlan: use neigh_ha_snapshot() in route_shortcircuit()
    40Plan

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2025-40157Nov 12, 2025 · EDAC/i10nm: Skip DIMM enumeration on a disabled memory controller
    0Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2025-40158Nov 12, 2025 · ipv6: use RCU in ip6_output()
    32Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2025-40160Nov 12, 2025 · xen/events: Return -EEXIST for bound VIRQs
    0Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Linux Linux07ca98f906a403637fc5e513a872a50ef1247f3bVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux1463cd066f32efd56ddfd3ac4e3524200f362980Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux5b5fffa7c81e55d8c8edf05ad40d811ec7047e21Vendor (CNA)
debian:linux6.12.57-1 · Debian:13Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_1114-150600.2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_1214-150600.2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_148-150600.2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_165-150600.2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_173-150600.2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP6_Update_916-150600.2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP6Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7_Update_48-150700.2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7_Update_55-150700.2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7_Update_63-150700.2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7-RT_Update_113-150700.2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7-RT_Update_55-150700.2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7Package registry (OSV)
suse:kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7-RT_Update_64-150700.2.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Live Patching 15 SP7Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

—

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

nvd-secondary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Change log

  1. SSVC exploitation— → none
  2. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (2 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records