virtio_net: Fix misalignment bug in struct virtnet_info
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 1 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: virtio_net: Fix misalignment bug in struct virtnet_info Use the new TRAILING_OVERLAP() helper to fix a misalignment bug along with the following warning: drivers/net/virtio_net.c:429:46: warning: structure containing a flexible array member is not at the end of another structure [-Wflex-array-member-not-at-end] This helper creates a union between a flexible-array member (FAM) and a set of members that would otherwise follow it (in this case `u8 rss_hash_key_data[VIRTIO_NET_RSS_MAX_KEY_SIZE];`). This overlays the trailing members (rss_hash_key_data) onto the FAM (hash_key_data) while keeping the FAM and the start of MEMBERS aligned. The static_assert() ensures this alignment remains. Notice that due to tail padding in flexible `struct virtio_net_rss_config_trailer`, `rss_trailer.hash_key_data` (at offset 83 in struct virtnet_info) and `rss_hash_key_data` (at offset 84 in struct virtnet_info) are misaligned by one byte. See below: struct virtio_net_rss_config_trailer { __le16 max_tx_vq; /* 0 2 */ __u8 hash_key_length; /* 2 1 */ __u8 hash_key_data[]; /* 3 0 */ /* size: 4, cachelines: 1, members: 3 */ /* padding: 1 */ /* last cacheline: 4 bytes */ }; struct virtnet_info { ... struct virtio_net_rss_config_trailer rss_trailer; /* 80 4 */ /* XXX last struct has 1 byte of padding */ u8 rss_hash_key_data[40]; /* 84 40 */ ... /* size: 832, cachelines: 13, members: 48 */ /* sum members: 801, holes: 8, sum holes: 31 */ /* paddings: 2, sum paddings: 5 */ }; After changes, those members are correctly aligned at offset 795: struct virtnet_info { ... union { struct virtio_net_rss_config_trailer rss_trailer; /* 792 4 */ struct { unsigned char __offset_to_hash_key_data[3]; /* 792 3 */ u8 rss_hash_key_data[40]; /* 795 40 */ }; /* 792 43 */ }; /* 792 44 */ ... /* size: 840, cachelines: 14, members: 47 */ /* sum members: 801, holes: 8, sum holes: 35 */ /* padding: 4 */ /* paddings: 1, sum paddings: 4 */ /* last cacheline: 8 bytes */ }; As a result, the RSS key passed to the device is shifted by 1 byte: the last byte is cut off, and instead a (possibly uninitialized) byte is added at the beginning. As a last note `struct virtio_net_rss_config_hdr *rss_hdr;` is also moved to the end, since it seems those three members should stick around together. :)
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6.12.91 to before 6.12.114 | 6.12.114 | Patch available | CNA |
| Linux | Linux | 6.15 and later | 6.12.114, 6.18.7, 6.19 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.12.91 to before 6.12.114 Fixed in 6.12.114 Patch available CNA
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.15 and later Fixed in 6.12.114, 6.18.7, 6.19 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 6
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.15 to before 6.18.7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.19 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.19 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.19 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.19 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.19 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.15 to before 6.18.7 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.19 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.19 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.19 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.19 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.19 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.12.114
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.12.114, 6.18.7, 6.19
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
Not affected: 4 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-23143
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-372h-fwqg-rp6x
- 2026-10-21 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@d1e9614a142eff34c93e94a15a71ad0e806799c4 · CNA
- 2026-10-21 1 new reference · CNA
References
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
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- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2026-23143 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-23143 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-372h-fwqg-rp6x · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-23143 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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