CVE-2025-40159

Kernel memory disclosure and corruption via descriptor overflow

Published Nov 12, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Integer overflow in the Linux kernel allows local users to disclose or corrupt kernel memory through a crafted AF_XDP TX descriptor. The xp_aligned_validate_desc and xp_unaligned_validate_desc paths accept wrapped length-plus-metadata or address-minus-metadata bounds instead of rejecting them. A local process can create an AF_XDP socket in a user namespace, place a malformed descriptor in its memory-mapped TX ring, and trigger disclosure, heap corruption, or a kernel panic with sendmsg.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Integer overflow in the Linux kernel allows local users to disclose or corrupt kernel memory through a crafted AF_XDP TX descriptor. The xp_aligned_validate_desc and xp_unaligned_validate_desc paths accept wrapped length-plus-metadata or address-minus-metadata bounds instead of rejecting them. A local process can create an AF_XDP socket in a user namespace, place a malformed descriptor in its memory-mapped TX ring, and trigger disclosure, heap corruption, or a kernel panic with sendmsg.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-40159
Published
Nov 12, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 12, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=341ac980eab90ac1f6c22ee9f9da83ed9604d899 <07ca98f906a403637fc5e513a872a50ef1247f3b
  2. Affected versionversion=341ac980eab90ac1f6c22ee9f9da83ed9604d899 <1463cd066f32efd56ddfd3ac4e3524200f362980
  3. Affected versionversion=341ac980eab90ac1f6c22ee9f9da83ed9604d899 <5b5fffa7c81e55d8c8edf05ad40d811ec7047e21
  4. Affected versionversion=6.8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=341ac980eab90ac1f6c22ee9f9da83ed9604d899 <07ca98f906a403637fc5e513a872a50ef1247f3b; version=341ac980eab90ac1f6c22ee9f9da83ed9604d899 <1463cd066f32efd56ddfd3ac4e3524200f362980; version=341ac980eab90ac1f6c22ee9f9da83ed9604d899 <5b5fffa7c81e55d8c8edf05ad40d811ec7047e21; version=6.8

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux CVE TeamCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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