CVE-2025-40173: Linux kernel · net/ip6_tunnel: Prevent perpetual tunnel growth
Source GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 13:47 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 4% 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:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 12 Nov 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by 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
Until then, limiting local access and monitoring resource usage may help mitigate risk.
Description
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's IPv6 tunnel implementation allowed perpetual growth of tunnel headroom, similar to a previously fixed issue in the IPv4 tunnel. This could lead to resource exhaustion. The issue has been resolved by applying limits to the IPv6 tunnel headroom growth, preventing unbounded resource consumption.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-40173 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/10fe967efe73c610e526ff7460581610633dee9c (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/11f6066af3bfb8149aa16c42c0b0c5ea5b199a94 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/21f4d45eba0b2dcae5dbc9e5e0ad08735c993f16 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/402b6985e872b4cf394bbbf33b503947a326a6cb (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/48294a67863c9cfa367abb66bbf0ef6548ae124f (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/566f8d5c8a443f2dd69c5460fdec43ed1c870c65 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/b6eb25d870f1a8ae571fd3da2244b71df547824b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/eeb4345488672584db4f8c20a1ae13a212ce31c4 (opens in a new tab)