CVE-2025-71064 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 01/13/2026
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
net: hns3: using the num_tqps in the vf driver to apply for resources
Currently, hdev->htqp is allocated using hdev->num_tqps, and kinfo->tqp is allocated using kinfo->num_tqps. However, kinfo->num_tqps is set to min(new_tqps, hdev->num_tqps); Therefore, kinfo->num_tqps may be smaller than hdev->num_tqps, which causes some hdev->htqp[i] to remain
uninitialized in hclgevf_knic_setup().
Thus, this patch allocates hdev->htqp and kinfo->tqp using hdev->num_tqps, ensuring that the lengths of hdev->htqp and kinfo->tqp are consistent and that all elements are properly initialized.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-71064 resides within the Linux kernel's hns3 network driver implementation, specifically affecting the Huawei Networking Systems 3 (hns3) driver family. This issue manifests in the virtual function (VF) driver component where resource allocation mechanisms fail to maintain consistency between different data structures, creating potential security and stability risks. The flaw occurs during the initialization phase of network interface configuration where the driver attempts to allocate hardware and kernel resources for traffic queues. The hns3 driver is designed to support high-performance networking through hardware acceleration, particularly in data center and cloud environments where network throughput and reliability are critical. This vulnerability impacts systems utilizing Huawei's networking hardware that implement the hns3 driver stack, potentially affecting enterprise networks, cloud infrastructure, and server environments that depend on these networking components for their operations.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inconsistent resource allocation logic within the driver's initialization routine. Specifically, the driver allocates hdev->htqp array using hdev->num_tqps which represents the total number of traffic queues available at the hardware level. However, when allocating kinfo->tqp array, the driver uses kinfo->num_tqps which is set to the minimum value between new_tqps and hdev->num_tqps. This design flaw creates a scenario where kinfo->num_tqps can be smaller than hdev->num_tqps, leading to uninitialized elements in the hdev->htqp array. The hclgevf_knic_setup() function processes these arrays assuming they contain matching lengths, but when some elements remain uninitialized, the driver may access invalid memory locations or operate with incomplete resource structures. This inconsistency violates fundamental resource management principles and creates potential for memory corruption, denial of service conditions, or unpredictable behavior in network operations. The vulnerability represents a classic case of improper resource handling where the allocation strategy fails to account for the relationship between different data structures that should maintain synchronization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple functional degradation to potentially compromise system stability and network reliability. When the driver fails to properly initialize all elements in the hdev->htqp array, network operations may experience intermittent failures, packet loss, or complete network interface malfunction. The uninitialized memory segments could contain arbitrary data that might cause the driver to make incorrect decisions during packet processing or resource management. In enterprise environments, this could result in service interruptions for critical network services, particularly affecting applications that rely on consistent network performance and low latency. The vulnerability may also create conditions where attackers could potentially exploit the uninitialized memory patterns to perform privilege escalation or information disclosure attacks, especially in environments where the network driver operates with elevated privileges. Additionally, the inconsistency in resource allocation could lead to resource leaks or memory fragmentation issues that compound over time, potentially causing system instability or complete system crashes under sustained network load conditions.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-457: Use of Uninitialized Variable, which specifically addresses the scenario where variables are used without proper initialization, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential security risks. The flaw also demonstrates characteristics related to CWE-129: Improper Validation of Array Index, as the inconsistent array sizing creates potential for out-of-bounds memory access during the resource initialization process. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be leveraged as part of a broader attack chain under techniques such as T1068: Exploitation for Privilege Escalation or T1499: Endpoint Denial of Service, where the unstable driver behavior could be exploited to disrupt network services or gain elevated privileges. The patch implemented to address this issue ensures that both hdev->htqp and kinfo->tqp arrays are allocated using the same consistent value of hdev->num_tqps, thereby eliminating the potential for uninitialized elements and maintaining proper synchronization between the hardware and kernel resource structures. This fix directly addresses the fundamental resource allocation inconsistency that was causing the vulnerability and restores proper initialization semantics for all allocated memory segments. The mitigation strategy focuses on maintaining data structure integrity through consistent allocation parameters, which is a standard best practice for kernel-level drivers that handle critical system resources.