Linux: Out-of-bounds Write
CVE-2025-71234 is a high-severity out-of-bounds write vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 5d810ba377eddee95d30766d360a14efbb3d1872, 116f7bd8160c6b37d1c6939385abf90f6f6ed2f5, 9a0f3fa6ecd0c9c32dbc367a57482bbf7c7d25bf as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.23% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to 5d810ba377eddee95d30766d360a14efbb3d1872 or 116f7bd8160c6b37d1c6939385abf90f6f6ed2f5 or 9a0f3fa6ecd0c9c32dbc367a57482bbf7c7d25bf or 86c946bcc00f6390ef65e9614ae60a9377e454f8, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 6.12.72 or 6.18.11 or 6.19.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | eef55f1545c92c7181d5083453dee1296298ad3e up to, but not including, 5d810ba377eddee95d30766d360a14efbb3d1872; eef55f1545c92c7181d5083453dee1296298ad3e up to, but not including, 116f7bd8160c6b37d1c6939385abf90f6f6ed2f5; eef55f1545c92c7181d5083453dee1296298ad3e up to, but not including, 9a0f3fa6ecd0c9c32dbc367a57482bbf7c7d25bf; eef55f1545c92c7181d5083453dee1296298ad3e up to, but not including, 86c946bcc00f6390ef65e9614ae60a9377e454f8; 6.9 | 5d810ba377eddee95d30766d360a14efbb3d1872, 116f7bd8160c6b37d1c6939385abf90f6f6ed2f5, 9a0f3fa6ecd0c9c32dbc367a57482bbf7c7d25bf, 86c946bcc00f6390ef65e9614ae60a9377e454f8 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 6.9 up to, but not including, 6.12.72; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.18.11; 6.19 up to, but not including, 6.19.1 | 6.12.72, 6.18.11, 6.19.1 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.8 | High | CNA |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | NVD |
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: rtl8xxxu: fix slab-out-of-bounds in rtl8xxxu_sta_add The driver does not set hw->sta_data_size, which causes mac80211 to allocate insufficient space for driver private station data in __sta_info_alloc(). When rtl8xxxu_sta_add() accesses members of struct rtl8xxxu_sta_info through sta->drv_priv, this results in a slab-out-of-bounds write. KASAN report on RISC-V (VisionFive 2) with RTL8192EU adapter: BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in rtl8xxxu_sta_add+0x31c/0x346 Write of size 8 at addr ffffffd6d3e9ae88 by task kworker/u16:0/12 Set hw->sta_data_size to sizeof(struct rtl8xxxu_sta_info) during probe, similar to how hw->vif_data_size is configured. This ensures mac80211 allocates sufficient space for the driver's per-station private data. Tested on StarFive VisionFive 2 v1.2A board.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Write
The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, many languages that perform their own memory management, such as Java and Perl, are not subject to buffer overflows. Other languages, such as Ada and C#, typically provide overflow protection, but the protection can be disabled by the programmer. Be wary that a language's interface to native code may still be subject to overflows, even if the language itself is theoretically safe.
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. Examples include the Safe C String Library (SafeStr) by Messier and Viega, and the Strsafe.h library from Microsoft. These libraries provide safer versions of overflow-prone string-handling functions.
- Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND discusses canary-based detection in detail.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Out-of-bounds Write vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
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