CVE-2025-68362
Buffer Underflow in Linux rtl8187 Driver Causes Kernel Panic
Publication date: 2025-12-24
Last updated on: 2025-12-24
Assigner: kernel.org
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| linux | kernel | * |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-UNKNOWN |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
This vulnerability is a potential buffer underflow in the Linux kernel's rtl8187 wireless driver. Specifically, the rtl8187_rx_cb() function calculates the rx descriptor header address by subtracting its size from the skb tail pointer without verifying if the received packet is large enough to contain this header. If a truncated packet is received, this can cause the function to read memory before the start of the skb data area, leading to a kernel panic. The fix involves adding length checks to ensure the packet is large enough before accessing the descriptor headers, dropping the packet if the check fails.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can cause a kernel panic, which means the affected system could crash unexpectedly. This could lead to denial of service, disrupting normal operations and potentially causing data loss or system instability.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
To mitigate this vulnerability, update your Linux kernel to a version where the rtl8187 driver includes the fix for the buffer underflow in rtl8187_rx_cb(). This fix adds length checks to prevent kernel panic caused by truncated packets. Until the update is applied, avoid using affected rtl8187 wireless devices or disable the rtl8187 driver to prevent exploitation.