Vulnerability · Published Nov 12, 2025 · Assigned by Linux

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

High 7.8

In plain English

A high-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 0.2% (higher than 4% of all known vulnerabilities). Fixed versions are available - upgrade the affected package.

Severity (CVSS 3.1)7.8High
Exploit odds (30 days)0.2%top 95.6% 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: 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.

Affected packages & fixed versions

EcosystemPackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian:13linux6.12.57-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-40159
Debian:14linux6.17.6-1DEBIAN-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux6.8.0-106.106UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:25.10linux6.17.0-14.14UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-allwinner-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws6.8.0-1050.53UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:25.10linux-aws6.17.0-1007.7UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.176.17.0-1007.7~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-aws-6.86.8.0-1050.53~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure6.8.0-1051.57UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:25.10linux-azure6.17.0-1008.8UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-6.86.8.0-1051.57~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde6.8.0-1058.65UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:25.10linux-azure-fdeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-azure-fde-6.86.8.0-1058.65~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidiano fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-azure-nvidia-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp6.8.0-1052.55UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:25.10linux-gcp6.17.0-1007.7UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.176.17.0-1008.8~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-gcp-6.86.8.0-1052.55~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gke6.8.0-1048.53UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-gkeop6.8.0-1035.38UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-hwe-6.86.8.0-106.106~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-ibm6.8.0-1049.49UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-ibm-6.86.8.0-1049.49~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-intel-iot-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency6.8.0-106.106.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-lowlatency-hwe-6.86.8.0-106.106.1~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia6.8.0-1049.52UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.176.17.0-1008.8UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-6.86.8.0-1049.52~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-lowlatency6.8.0-1049.52.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-nvidia-tegra6.8.0-1020.20UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-5.17no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.0no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.1no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.11no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.176.17.0-1011.11UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oem-6.8no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle6.8.0-1047.48UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:25.10linux-oracle6.17.0-1007.7UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.176.17.0-1007.7~24.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-oracle-6.86.8.0-1047.48~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi6.8.0-1050.54UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:25.10linux-raspi6.17.0-1008.8UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-raspi-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-realtimeno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:25.10linux-realtime6.17.0-1006.7UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscvno fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:25.10linux-riscv6.17.0-14.14.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.14no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-riscv-6.86.8.0-106.106~22.04.1UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-5.19no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.2no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:22.04:LTSlinux-starfive-6.5no fix listedUBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159
Ubuntu:24.04:LTSlinux-xilinx6.8.0-1028.29UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40159

Affected products (as reported)

VendorProductVersions
Linux Linux 341ac980eab90ac1f6c22ee9f9da83ed9604d899 – before 1463cd066f32efd56ddfd3ac4e3524200f362980341ac980eab90ac1f6c22ee9f9da83ed9604d899 – before 5b5fffa7c81e55d8c8edf05ad40d811ec7047e21341ac980eab90ac1f6c22ee9f9da83ed9604d899 – before 07ca98f906a403637fc5e513a872a50ef1247f3b
Linux Linux 6.8

References