Kernel Vulnerability in Linux Affecting mlx5 Network Drivers

CVE-2025-21720

Summary

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel, specifically within the packet offload mode of xfrm handling, allows for improper secpath management during IP packet forwarding. When IP forwarding is enabled, packets that have already been processed can be incorrectly reintroduced into the driver TX path, leading to a kernel panic. This occurs when a NULL pointer dereference error is triggered, as evidenced by the failure logs from the mlx5 network driver, which indicate a severe system fault, disrupting normal operations and potentially impacting system stability.

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