Kernel memory corruption via unchecked header length
Published Apr 1, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Memory corruption in the Linux kernel nvme-tcp client allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through a malicious NVMe/TCP target. The nvme_tcp_recv_pdu() path accepts an invalid header length, and nvme_tcp_verify_hdgst() writes the calculated digest beyond the allocated header area. Exploitation requires an NVMe/TCP connection with header digests enabled; the published consequence is kernel-memory corruption, not demonstrated code execution.
Summary
What happened
Memory corruption in the Linux kernel nvme-tcp client allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through a malicious NVMe/TCP target. The nvme_tcp_recv_pdu() path accepts an invalid header length, and nvme_tcp_verify_hdgst() writes the calculated digest beyond the allocated header area. Exploitation requires an NVMe/TCP connection with header digests enabled; the published consequence is kernel-memory corruption, not demonstrated code execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-21927
- Published
- Apr 1, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-787
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 1, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 5, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=3f2304f8c6d6ed97849057bd16fee99e434ca796 <22b06c89aa6b2d1ecb8aea72edfb9d53af8d5126
- Affected versionversion=3f2304f8c6d6ed97849057bd16fee99e434ca796 <9fbc953d6b38bc824392e01850f0aeee3b348722
- Affected versionversion=3f2304f8c6d6ed97849057bd16fee99e434ca796 <ad95bab0cd28ed77c2c0d0b6e76e03e031391064
- Affected versionversion=5.0
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What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
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Your stack
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