CVE-2025-38465: linux kernel vulnerability

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netlink: Fix wraparounds of sk->sk_rmem_alloc. Netlink has this pattern in some places if (atomic_read(&sk->sk_rmem_alloc) > sk->sk_rcvbuf) atomic_add(skb->truesize, &sk->sk_rmem_alloc); , which has the same problem fixed by commit 5a465a0da13e ("udp: Fix multiple wraparounds of sk->sk_rmem_alloc."). For example, if we set INT_MAX to SO_RCVBUFFORCE, the condition is always false as the two operands are of int. Then, a single socket can eat as many skb as possible until OOM happens, and we can see multiple wraparounds of sk->sk_rmem_alloc. Let's fix it by using atomic_add_return() and comparing the two variables as unsigned int. Before: [root@fedora ~]# ss -f netlink Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address:Port Peer Address:Port -1668710080 0 rtnl:nl_wraparound/293 * After: [root@fedora ~]# ss -f netlink Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address:Port Peer Address:Port 2147483072 0 rtnl:nl_wraparound/290 * ^ `--- INT_MAX - 576
CVE-2025-38465CVSS 5.5Linux

CVE-2025-38465: linux kernel vulnerability

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netlink: Fix wraparounds of sk->sk_rmem_alloc. Netlink has this pattern in some places if (atomic_read(&sk->sk_rmem_alloc) > sk->sk_rcvbuf) atomic_add(skb->truesize, &sk->sk_rmem_alloc); , which has the same problem fixed by commit 5a465a0da13e ("udp: Fix multiple wraparounds of sk->sk_rmem_alloc."). For example, if we set INT_MAX to SO_RCVBUFFORCE, the condition is always false as the two operands are of int. Then, a single socket can eat as many skb as possible until OOM happens, and we can see multiple wraparounds of sk->sk_rmem_alloc. Let's fix it by using atomic_add_return() and comparing the two variables as unsigned int. Before: [root@fedora ~]# ss -f netlink Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address:Port Peer Address:Port -1668710080 0 rtnl:nl_wraparound/293 * After: [root@fedora ~]# ss -f netlink Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address:Port Peer Address:Port 2147483072 0 rtnl:nl_wraparound/290 * ^ `--- INT_MAX - 576

CVSS
5.5 MEDIUM
EPSS
6.08%
Known exploited
not in KEV
Product
linux kernel

What is known

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netlink: Fix wraparounds of sk->sk_rmem_alloc. Netlink has this pattern in some places if (atomic_read(&sk->sk_rmem_alloc) > sk->sk_rcvbuf) atomic_add(skb->truesize, &sk->sk_rmem_alloc); , which has the same problem fixed by commit 5a465a0da13e ("udp: Fix multiple wraparounds of sk->sk_rmem_alloc."). For example, if we set INT_MAX to SO_RCVBUFFORCE, the condition is always false as the two operands are of int. Then, a single socket can eat as many skb as possible until OOM happens, and we can see multiple wraparounds of sk->sk_rmem_alloc. Let's fix it by using atomic_add_return() and comparing the two variables as unsigned int. Before: [root@fedora ~]# ss -f netlink Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address:Port Peer Address:Port -1668710080 0 rtnl:nl_wraparound/293 * After: [root@fedora ~]# ss -f netlink Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address:Port Peer Address:Port 2147483072 0 rtnl:nl_wraparound/290 * ^ `--- INT_MAX - 576

Sources

Security newsletter

Get new CVE alerts before they become an incident

We send selected infrastructure threats in English, with practical notes for DataHouse environments.

  • DataHouse: server administration and secure cloud
  • Hostilla.pl: hosting and mail services
  • SecDNS.pl: free DNS security layer