Vulnerability · Published Sep 23, 2025 · Assigned by Linux

CVE-2025-39874macsec: sync features on RTM_NEWLINK

Medium 5.5

In plain English

A medium-severity security flaw in Linux from Linux. There are no confirmed reports of exploitation so far. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.1% (higher than 3% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS 3.1)5.5Medium
Exploit odds (30 days)0.1%top 97.2% of all CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo reportsCISA SSVC: none
Attack toolingNoneno public tooling known

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: macsec: sync features on RTM_NEWLINK Syzkaller managed to lock the lower device via ETHTOOL_SFEATURES: netdev_lock include/linux/netdevice.h:2761 [inline] netdev_lock_ops include/net/netdev_lock.h:42 [inline] netdev_sync_lower_features net/core/dev.c:10649 [inline] __netdev_update_features+0xcb1/0x1be0 net/core/dev.c:10819 netdev_update_features+0x6d/0xe0 net/core/dev.c:10876 macsec_notify+0x2f5/0x660 drivers/net/macsec.c:4533 notifier_call_chain+0x1b3/0x3e0 kernel/notifier.c:85 call_netdevice_notifiers_extack net/core/dev.c:2267 [inline] call_netdevice_notifiers net/core/dev.c:2281 [inline] netdev_features_change+0x85/0xc0 net/core/dev.c:1570 __dev_ethtool net/ethtool/ioctl.c:3469 [inline] dev_ethtool+0x1536/0x19b0 net/ethtool/ioctl.c:3502 dev_ioctl+0x392/0x1150 net/core/dev_ioctl.c:759 It happens because lower features are out of sync with the upper: __dev_ethtool (real_dev) netdev_lock_ops(real_dev) ETHTOOL_SFEATURES __netdev_features_change netdev_sync_upper_features disable LRO on the lower if (old_features != dev->features) netdev_features_change fires NETDEV_FEAT_CHANGE macsec_notify NETDEV_FEAT_CHANGE netdev_update_features (for each macsec dev) netdev_sync_lower_features if (upper_features != lower_features) netdev_lock_ops(lower) # lower == real_dev stuck ... netdev_unlock_ops(real_dev) Per commit af5f54b0ef9e ("net: Lock lower level devices when updating features"), we elide the lock/unlock when the upper and lower features are synced. Makes sure the lower (real_dev) has proper features after the macsec link has been created. This makes sure we never hit the situation where we need to sync upper flags to the lower.

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:14linux6.16.8-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:25.10linux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-intelno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-39874

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux 7e4d784f5810bba76c4593791028e13cce4af547 – before d7624629ccf47135c65fef0701fa0d9a115b87f37e4d784f5810bba76c4593791028e13cce4af547 – before 0f82c3ba66c6b2e3cde0f255156a753b108ee9dc
Linux Linux 6.15

References