Network Packet Processing Flaw in Linux Kernel's Virtio-net Module by Linux Foundation

CVE-2025-40292

What is CVE-2025-40292?

A vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's virtio-net module where the received length check for large packets is insufficient. This occurs due to a change in how packet buffer length is negotiated, potentially allowing a malicious host to announce a misleading buffer length. If exploited, this could lead to a NULL page pointer dereference, causing system instability or crashes. To mitigate this issue, a recent commit has adjusted the length check in the receive path, ensuring it aligns with the allocated buffer based on the negotiated MTU.

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