Linux kernel Vulnerability Affecting 32-bit Architectures

CVE-2025-40199

What is CVE-2025-40199?

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel affects 32-bit architectures, where the PP_MAGIC_MASK was incorrectly implemented, causing system crashes during boot on certain devices. The issue arises from misinterpretation of kernel pointers as page-pool tagged pages, leading to false positives that result in machine crashes. A recent patch addresses this by adjusting the definition of PP_DMA_INDEX_BITS, ensuring that the integrity of the page pool management system is maintained while preventing erroneous crashes. The fix's effectiveness relies on specific conditions related to kernel pointer assumptions.

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