Kernel memory disclosure and hang via glyph overread
Published Dec 8, 2025 · Updated Aug 5, 2026
An out-of-bounds read in Linux kernel fbdev bitblit allows local users to disclose kernel memory or hang the system. The bit_putcs_aligned() and bit_putcs_unaligned() paths mask each character value to 0xff or 0x1ff and use the result as a glyph index without checking the active font's actual glyph count. A low-privileged user controlling a virtual terminal can desynchronize font dimensions, write glyph indices 256–511, and render out-of-range kernel bytes to the framebuffer; a large user font can instead fault while the console lock is held.
Summary
What happened
An out-of-bounds read in Linux kernel fbdev bitblit allows local users to disclose kernel memory or hang the system. The bit_putcs_aligned() and bit_putcs_unaligned() paths mask each character value to 0xff or 0x1ff and use the result as a glyph index without checking the active font's actual glyph count. A low-privileged user controlling a virtual terminal can desynchronize font dimensions, write glyph indices 256–511, and render out-of-range kernel bytes to the framebuffer; a large user font can instead fault while the console lock is held.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-40322
- Published
- Dec 8, 2025
- Updated
- Aug 5, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1005, T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 8, 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?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <0998a6cb232674408a03e8561dc15aa266b2f53b
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <18c4ef4e765a798b47980555ed665d78b71aeadf
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <901f44227072be60812fe8083e83e1533c04eed1
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <9ba1a7802ca9a2590cef95b253e6526f4364477f
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a10cede006f9614b465cf25609a8753efbfd45cc
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <c12003bf91fdff381c55ef54fef3e961a5af2545
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <db5c9a162d2f42bcc842b76b3d935dcc050a0eec
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <efaf89a75a29b2d179bf4fe63ca62852e93ad620
- 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.
Public exploit references
- syzbot C reproducer for bit_putcs out-of-bounds readproof of concept · demonstrated
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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