Kernel memory corruption via USB URB double submission
Published Nov 12, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
A race in the Linux rtl8150 USB network driver allows adjacent unauthenticated attackers to corrupt kernel memory and crash the host. rtl8150_set_multicast wakes the transmit queue while an earlier USB request remains active, letting rtl8150_start_xmit submit the same URB twice and use a freed packet buffer. Exploitation requires an RTL8150 interface and same-segment traffic that drives multicast changes while replies keep transmission active; successful races disclose heap data, corrupt memory, or panic the kernel.
Summary
What happened
A race in the Linux rtl8150 USB network driver allows adjacent unauthenticated attackers to corrupt kernel memory and crash the host. rtl8150_set_multicast wakes the transmit queue while an earlier USB request remains active, letting rtl8150_start_xmit submit the same URB twice and use a freed packet buffer. Exploitation requires an RTL8150 interface and same-segment traffic that drives multicast changes while replies keep transmission active; successful races disclose heap data, corrupt memory, or panic the kernel.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-40140
- Published
- Nov 12, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.004
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Nov 12, 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
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <114e05344763a102a8844efd96ec06ba99293ccd
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <1a08a37ac03d07a1608a1592791041cac979fbc3
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <54f8ef1a970a8376e5846ed90854decf7c00555d
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6053e47bbf212b93c051beb4261d7d5a409d0ce3
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <6394bade9daab8e318c165fe43bba012bf13cd8e
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <958baf5eaee394e5fd976979b0791a875f14a179
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <9d72df7f5eac946f853bf49c428c4e87a17d91da
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <cce3c0e21cdd15bcba5c35d3af1700186de8f187
- Affected versionversion=2.6.12
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo