CVE-2025-39972

Guest-to-host network compromise via unchecked queue-map index

Published Oct 15, 2025 · Updated Oct 15, 2025

Improper validation in the Linux i40e PF driver from 4.17 allows guest OS users to alter or stall host and peer network paths. The i40e_validate_queue_map function derives an index from attacker-selected queue-map bits and dereferences vf->ch[idx] without checking it against the initialized traffic-class count. Reachability requires control of an assigned SR-IOV virtual function with ADq enabled; crafted mailbox messages can expose cross-tenant activity, alter interrupt state, and stall network traffic.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper validation in the Linux i40e PF driver from 4.17 allows guest OS users to alter or stall host and peer network paths. The i40e_validate_queue_map function derives an index from attacker-selected queue-map bits and dereferences vf->ch[idx] without checking it against the initialized traffic-class count. Reachability requires control of an assigned SR-IOV virtual function with ADq enabled; crafted mailbox messages can expose cross-tenant activity, alter interrupt state, and stall network traffic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-39972
Published
Oct 15, 2025
Updated
Oct 15, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 15, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 15, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=4.17
  2. Affected versionversion=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <34dfac0c904829967d500c51f216916ce1452957
  3. Affected versionversion=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <4d5e804a9e19b639b18fd13664dbad3c03c79e61
  4. Affected versionversion=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <50a1e2f50f6c22b93b94eb8d168a1be3c05bf5cd
  5. Affected versionversion=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <6f15a7b34fae75e745bdc2ec05e06ddfd0dd2f3c
  6. Affected versionversion=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <aa68d3c3ac8d1dcec40d52ae27e39f6d32207009
  7. Affected versionversion=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <b6cb93a7ff208f324c7ec581d72995f80e115e0e
  8. Affected versionversion=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <cc4191e8ef40d2249c1b9a8617d22ec8a976b574
  9. Affected versionversion=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <d4e3eaaa3cb3af77836d806c89cd6ebf533a7320

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=4.17; version=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <34dfac0c904829967d500c51f216916ce1452957; version=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <4d5e804a9e19b639b18fd13664dbad3c03c79e61; version=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <50a1e2f50f6c22b93b94eb8d168a1be3c05bf5cd; version=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <6f15a7b34fae75e745bdc2ec05e06ddfd0dd2f3c; version=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <aa68d3c3ac8d1dcec40d52ae27e39f6d32207009; version=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <b6cb93a7ff208f324c7ec581d72995f80e115e0e; version=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <cc4191e8ef40d2249c1b9a8617d22ec8a976b574; version=c27eac48160de72dee33d42b5a33cc7b8a2eb1f5 <d4e3eaaa3cb3af77836d806c89cd6ebf533a7320

Published CVSS scores

8.8Linux kernel CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.3Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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