vxlan: initialize _md in vxlan_xmit_one()
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
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- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 4 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
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.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.6.160, 6.12.111, 6.18.53, 7.2.7, 7.3
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 5 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 4 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-97965
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-qvvr-rf39-ch86
- 2026-10-19 Fix available: Linux/[email protected] · CNA
- 2026-10-21 Fix available: Linux/[email protected], Linux/Linux@fb78beb64e0e79557e4cd7cd17fea744bb6f01d9 · CNA
- 2026-10-21 1 new reference · CNA
- 2026-10-23 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-10-23 CVSS score changed · Red Hat
- 2026-11-06 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
References
Other 5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fb78beb64e0e79557e4cd7cd17fea744bb6f01d9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0d13b5a413bffc8718b3821b78537ccc6596c233
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bfb74c48ac2d31476d5e09cf9658844508d2608a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/081f22177d9d12b1e381b787f203cd5f47508187
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/be83178bfc44588f6e3adb827ed874c683193466
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Sources
- CVE-2026-97965 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-97965 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-qvvr-rf39-ch86 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-97965 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences