CVE-2014-0077 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE
drivers/vhost/net.c in the Linux kernel before 3.13.10, when mergeable buffers are disabled, does not properly validate packet lengths, which allows guest OS users to cause a denial of service (memory corruption and host OS crash) or possibly gain privileges on the host OS via crafted packets, related to the handle_rx and get_rx_bufs functions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0077 represents a critical flaw in the Linux kernel's virtualization subsystem, specifically within the vhost network driver implementation. This issue affects Linux kernel versions prior to 3.13.10 and stems from inadequate validation of packet lengths in the network virtualization layer. The vulnerability manifests when mergeable buffers are disabled, creating a condition where malicious guest operating systems can exploit the kernel's handling of network packets to execute arbitrary code or cause system crashes. The flaw resides in the drivers/vhost/net.c file and particularly impacts the handle_rx and get_rx_bufs functions that process incoming network traffic in virtualized environments.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper validation of packet length parameters within the kernel's virtualized network driver. When mergeable buffers are disabled, the vhost network implementation fails to adequately verify the legitimacy of packet sizes before processing them. This validation gap allows attackers to craft specially designed packets that exceed expected buffer boundaries, leading to memory corruption within the host kernel space. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of virtualization security and kernel memory management, where guest operating systems can leverage this weakness to escape virtual machine isolation boundaries. According to CWE classification, this corresponds to CWE-129: Improper Validation of Array Index, as the system fails to validate input parameters before using them to access kernel memory structures.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-0077 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable privilege escalation attacks. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to gain elevated privileges on the host system, effectively breaking the isolation boundaries that separate virtual machines from the underlying host infrastructure. This represents a significant security risk in cloud computing environments and virtualized infrastructures where multiple tenants share the same physical hardware. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal privileges from the guest operating system to execute the attack, making it accessible to unprivileged users within the virtual machine. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) techniques, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary code with host-level privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-0077 primarily focus on kernel updates and virtualization configuration adjustments. System administrators should immediately upgrade to Linux kernel version 3.13.10 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the packet length validation issue. Additionally, organizations can implement runtime protections by enabling mergeable buffers in virtualized environments, as this configuration change effectively disables the vulnerable code path. Network administrators should also consider implementing network-level monitoring to detect and block suspicious packet patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation in kernel space and demonstrates how seemingly minor validation gaps can lead to severe security consequences in virtualized computing environments. Organizations relying on virtualization technologies must maintain rigorous patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security fixes and prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in their infrastructure.