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CVE-2026-97965

Linux: vxlan: initialize _md in vxlan_xmit_one()

Linux LinuxOperating systems
CVSS
NoneNot scored
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.17%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 5% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in0d13b5a413bffc8718b3821b78537ccc6596c233Also 081f22177d9d12b1e381b787f203cd5f47508187CVE List
Published25 Sep 2026Updated 21 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

  • 0d13b5a413bffc8718b3821b78537ccc6596c233LinuxCVE List
  • 081f22177d9d12b1e381b787f203cd5f47508187LinuxCVE List

A fixed version on one release line is not the upgrade target for every line. Check your exact version and any vendor backports.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

vxlan: initialize _md in vxlan_xmit_one()

If a VXLAN device is configured with both VXLAN_F_COLLECT_METADATA and VXLAN_F_GBP, and a packet is transmitted through it using an external ip_tunnel_info that lacks the IP_TUNNEL_VXLAN_OPT_BIT flag, md is left pointing to the uninitialized _md stack variable:

if (test_bit(IP_TUNNEL_VXLAN_OPT_BIT, info->key.tun_flags)) { if (info->options_len < sizeof(*md)) goto drop; md = ip_tunnel_info_opts(info); }

Because IP_TUNNEL_VXLAN_OPT_BIT is not set, md is not updated and remains pointing to _md. Later, vxlan_build_skb() is called with md, which eventually calls vxlan_build_gbp_hdr():

if (vxflags & VXLAN_F_GBP) vxlan_build_gbp_hdr(vxh, md);

Inside vxlan_build_gbp_hdr(), md->gbp is read:

if (!md->gbp) return; gbp = (struct vxlanhdr_gbp *)vxh; ... if (md->gbp & VXLAN_GBP_DONT_LEARN) gbp->dont_learn = 1;

If the stack contains garbage, this causes: 1) VXLAN_HF_GBP flag to be spuriously set in the VXLAN header. 2) gbp->dont_learn and gbp->policy_applied to be set from stack bits. 3) gbp->policy_id to receive 16 bits of uninitialized kernel stack data, leaking it onto the wire.

Fix this by zero-initializing _md. If IP_TUNNEL_VXLAN_OPT_BIT is not present, md->gbp remains 0, and vxlan_build_gbp_hdr() returns early without modifying the VXLAN header.

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 12

  • Linuxaffected: ee122c79d4227f6ec642157834b6a90fcffa4382 before fb78beb64e0e79557e4cd7cd17fea744bb6f01d9CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: ee122c79d4227f6ec642157834b6a90fcffa4382 before 0d13b5a413bffc8718b3821b78537ccc6596c233CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: ee122c79d4227f6ec642157834b6a90fcffa4382 before bfb74c48ac2d31476d5e09cf9658844508d2608aCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: ee122c79d4227f6ec642157834b6a90fcffa4382 before 081f22177d9d12b1e381b787f203cd5f47508187CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: ee122c79d4227f6ec642157834b6a90fcffa4382 before be83178bfc44588f6e3adb827ed874c683193466CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 4.3CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 4.3CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.6.160 through 6.6.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.12.111 through 6.12.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.18.53 through 6.18.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.2.7 through 7.2.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.3CVE List

References 5