Skip to main content
VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2025-40123: Linux kernel · bpf: Enforce expected_attach_type for tailcall compatibility

Source GCVE Database

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 12:29 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
7.8High
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 5% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 12 Nov 2025

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq Mirage: no evidence on record.

    No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

What to do

AI-suggested

A fix for this vulnerability has been implemented in the Linux kernel by enforcing expected_attach_type checks for tailcall maps in the BPF subsystem. Users and administrators should apply the official Linux kernel updates that include this patch. Since this is a kernel-level issue, upgrading to a patched kernel version is the recommended mitigation. Patch status is not explicitly stated in the provided data; therefore, check the vendor or Linux kernel advisory for the exact fixed versions and update accordingly.

Description

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's BPF subsystem involving tailcall compatibility and enforcement of expected_attach_type has been resolved. The issue arises from an uninitialized pointer in the bpf_prog_test_run_xdp() function, leading to a NULL pointer dereference when accessing the txq member of the xdp_buff structure. The flaw involves improper enforcement of expected_attach_type constraints during tailcalls between BPF programs, potentially allowing invalid access patterns. The fix enforces expected_attach_type checks in __bpf_prog_map_compatible() for tailcall maps to prevent violations. This vulnerability affects the kernel's BPF subsystem and related program types that rely on expected_attach_type for access control.

References

Community reviews

Loading reviews…