CVE-2025-37961: Vulnerability in Linux Linux

Severity: mediumType: vulnerabilityCVE-2025-37961

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipvs: fix uninit-value for saddr in do_output_route4 syzbot reports for uninit-value for the saddr argument [1]. commit 4754957f04f5 ("ipvs: do not use random local source address for tunnels") already implies that the input value of saddr should be ignored but the code is still reading it which can prevent to connect the route. Fix it by changing the argument to ret_saddr. [1] BUG: KMSAN: uninit-value in do_output_route4+0x42c/0x4d0 net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_xmit.c:147 do_output_route4+0x42c/0x4d0 net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_xmit.c:147 __ip_vs_get_out_rt+0x403/0x21d0 net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_xmit.c:330 ip_vs_tunnel_xmit+0x205/0x2380 net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_xmit.c:1136 ip_vs_in_hook+0x1aa5/0x35b0 net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_core.c:2063 nf_hook_entry_hookfn include/linux/netfilter.h:154 [inline] nf_hook_slow+0xf7/0x400 net/netfilter/core.c:626 nf_hook include/linux/netfilter.h:269 [inline] __ip_local_out+0x758/0x7e0 net/ipv4/ip_output.c:118 ip_local_out net/ipv4/ip_output.c:127 [inline] ip_send_skb+0x6a/0x3c0 net/ipv4/ip_output.c:1501 udp_send_skb+0xfda/0x1b70 net/ipv4/udp.c:1195 udp_sendmsg+0x2fe3/0x33c0 net/ipv4/udp.c:1483 inet_sendmsg+0x1fc/0x280 net/ipv4/af_inet.c:851 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:712 [inline] __sock_sendmsg+0x267/0x380 net/socket.c:727 ____sys_sendmsg+0x91b/0xda0 net/socket.c:2566 ___sys_sendmsg+0x28d/0x3c0 net/socket.c:2620 __sys_sendmmsg+0x41d/0x880 net/socket.c:2702 __compat_sys_sendmmsg net/compat.c:360 [inline] __do_compat_sys_sendmmsg net/compat.c:367 [inline] __se_compat_sys_sendmmsg net/compat.c:364 [inline] __ia32_compat_sys_sendmmsg+0xc8/0x140 net/compat.c:364 ia32_sys_call+0x3ffa/0x41f0 arch/x86/include/generated/asm/syscalls_32.h:346 do_syscall_32_irqs_on arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c:83 [inline] __do_fast_syscall_32+0xb0/0x110 arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c:306 do_fast_syscall_32+0x38/0x80 arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c:331 do_SYSENTER_32+0x1f/0x30 arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c:369 entry_SYSENTER_compat_after_hwframe+0x84/0x8e Uninit was created at: slab_post_alloc_hook mm/slub.c:4167 [inline] slab_alloc_node mm/slub.c:4210 [inline] __kmalloc_cache_noprof+0x8fa/0xe00 mm/slub.c:4367 kmalloc_noprof include/linux/slab.h:905 [inline] ip_vs_dest_dst_alloc net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_xmit.c:61 [inline] __ip_vs_get_out_rt+0x35d/0x21d0 net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_xmit.c:323 ip_vs_tunnel_xmit+0x205/0x2380 net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_xmit.c:1136 ip_vs_in_hook+0x1aa5/0x35b0 net/netfilter/ipvs/ip_vs_core.c:2063 nf_hook_entry_hookfn include/linux/netfilter.h:154 [inline] nf_hook_slow+0xf7/0x400 net/netfilter/core.c:626 nf_hook include/linux/netfilter.h:269 [inline] __ip_local_out+0x758/0x7e0 net/ipv4/ip_output.c:118 ip_local_out net/ipv4/ip_output.c:127 [inline] ip_send_skb+0x6a/0x3c0 net/ipv4/ip_output.c:1501 udp_send_skb+0xfda/0x1b70 net/ipv4/udp.c:1195 udp_sendmsg+0x2fe3/0x33c0 net/ipv4/udp.c:1483 inet_sendmsg+0x1fc/0x280 net/ipv4/af_inet.c:851 sock_sendmsg_nosec net/socket.c:712 [inline] __sock_sendmsg+0x267/0x380 net/socket.c:727 ____sys_sendmsg+0x91b/0xda0 net/socket.c:2566 ___sys_sendmsg+0x28d/0x3c0 net/socket.c:2620 __sys_sendmmsg+0x41d/0x880 net/socket.c:2702 __compat_sys_sendmmsg net/compat.c:360 [inline] __do_compat_sys_sendmmsg net/compat.c:367 [inline] __se_compat_sys_sendmmsg net/compat.c:364 [inline] __ia32_compat_sys_sendmmsg+0xc8/0x140 net/compat.c:364 ia32_sys_call+0x3ffa/0x41f0 arch/x86/include/generated/asm/syscalls_32.h:346 do_syscall_32_irqs_on arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c:83 [inline] __do_fast_syscall_32+0xb0/0x110 arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c:306 do_fast_syscall_32+0x38/0x80 arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c:331 do_SYSENTER_32+0x1f/0x30 arch/x86/entry/syscall_32.c:369 entry_SYSENTER_compat_after_hwframe+0x84/0x8e CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 22408 Comm: syz.4.5165 Not tainted 6.15.0-rc3-syzkaller-00019-gbc3372351d0c #0 PREEMPT(undef) Hardware name: Google Google Compute Engi ---truncated---

AI Analysis

Technical Summary

CVE-2025-37961 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel's IP Virtual Server (IPVS) subsystem, specifically within the function do_output_route4 in the ip_vs_xmit.c source file. The issue arises from the use of an uninitialized value for the source address (saddr) argument during route output processing. The vulnerability was detected by syzbot, a kernel fuzzing tool, which reported a kernel memory sanitizer (KMSAN) warning indicating that saddr was used without proper initialization. The root cause is that although a prior commit (4754957f04f5) intended to prevent the use of a random local source address for tunnels by ignoring the input saddr value, the code still reads this uninitialized variable, potentially causing incorrect routing decisions or connection failures. The fix involves changing the argument to ret_saddr to ensure the source address is properly initialized before use. The vulnerability affects multiple Linux kernel versions, including several identified by specific commit hashes. The vulnerability is located deep within the networking stack, impacting netfilter's IPVS module, which is responsible for load balancing and virtual server functionality in Linux. The uninitialized read could lead to unpredictable behavior in packet routing and transmission, potentially causing denial of service or other network disruptions. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to systems running Linux kernels with the affected IPVS module versions, especially those utilizing IPVS for load balancing or network virtualization. The impact could manifest as network instability, failed connections, or denial of service conditions in critical infrastructure relying on Linux-based load balancers or virtual servers. This could affect data centers, cloud service providers, telecom operators, and enterprises with complex network architectures. Given the widespread use of Linux in European IT environments, including government, finance, and industrial sectors, the vulnerability could disrupt services or degrade network performance. Although exploitation requires triggering the specific IPVS code path, the vulnerability's presence in the kernel networking stack means that compromised or misconfigured systems could be leveraged for further attacks or cause cascading failures. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the potential for future exploitation exists, especially if attackers develop methods to induce the uninitialized read condition.

Mitigation Recommendations

European organizations should prioritize updating their Linux kernel versions to include the patch that fixes this vulnerability once it is officially released. Since the vulnerability relates to the IPVS subsystem, organizations should audit their use of IPVS and consider temporarily disabling or limiting its use if feasible until patched. Network administrators should monitor kernel logs for unusual IPVS-related errors or warnings that might indicate attempts to trigger the vulnerability. Employing kernel memory sanitizers or runtime security tools can help detect anomalous behavior. Additionally, organizations should ensure strict access controls and network segmentation to limit exposure of vulnerable systems to untrusted networks. For environments where immediate patching is not possible, applying kernel hardening techniques and restricting the use of IPVS tunnels can reduce risk. Maintaining up-to-date intrusion detection systems and anomaly detection focused on network traffic patterns related to IPVS can provide early warning of exploitation attempts.