Linux Kernel up to 6.17.2 perf PERF_IDX2OFF buffer overflow

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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7.6$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.194/6.1.155/6.6.111/6.12.52/6.17.2. Affected by this issue is the function PERF_IDX2OFF of the component perf. The manipulation results in buffer overflow. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2025-40081. There is not any exploit available. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.194/6.1.155/6.6.111/6.12.52/6.17.2. Affected is the function PERF_IDX2OFF of the component perf. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a buffer overflow vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-120. The product copies an input buffer to an output buffer without verifying that the size of the input buffer is less than the size of the output buffer, leading to a buffer overflow. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf: arm_spe: Prevent overflow in PERF_IDX2OFF() Cast nr_pages to unsigned long to avoid overflow when handling large AUX buffer sizes (>= 2 GiB).

The advisory is shared for download at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2025-40081 since 04/16/2025. The exploitability is told to be easy. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $0-$5k (estimation calculated on 02/15/2026).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 271896 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-40081), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.15.195, 6.1.156, 6.6.112, 6.12.53, 6.17.3 or 6.18-rc1 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 5d01f2b81568289443d22f1e13a363f829de6343/7500384d3c9587593d75ded3b006835e7aa73ef8/379cae2cb982f571cda9493ac573ab71125fd299/1a19ba8e1f4ff24ece8ca69b79df8442c431db90/e516cfd19b0f4c774a57b17fb43a7f41991f0735/a29fea30dd93da16652930162b177941abd8c75e is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (271896) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2431). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Affected

  • Google Container-Optimized OS
  • Debian Linux
  • Amazon Linux 2
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Ubuntu Linux
  • SUSE Linux
  • Oracle Linux
  • SUSE openSUSE
  • Open Source Linux Kernel
  • RESF Rocky Linux
  • Microsoft Azure
  • Dell NetWorker

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 8.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.6

VulDB Base Score: 8.0
VulDB Temp Score: 7.6
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Buffer overflow
CWE: CWE-120 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Nessus ID: 271896
Nessus Name: Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-40081

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 5.15.195/6.1.156/6.6.112/6.12.53/6.17.3/6.18-rc1
Patch: 5d01f2b81568289443d22f1e13a363f829de6343/7500384d3c9587593d75ded3b006835e7aa73ef8/379cae2cb982f571cda9493ac573ab71125fd299/1a19ba8e1f4ff24ece8ca69b79df8442c431db90/e516cfd19b0f4c774a57b17fb43a7f41991f0735/a29fea30dd93da16652930162b177941abd8c75e

Timelineinfo

04/16/2025 CVE reserved
10/28/2025 +195 days Advisory disclosed
10/28/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
02/15/2026 +110 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2025-40081 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2025-40081
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-330276
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-2431 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 10/28/2025 15:52
Updated: 02/15/2026 23:08
Changes: 10/28/2025 15:52 (59), 10/29/2025 10:59 (2), 11/25/2025 02:03 (7), 12/22/2025 02:00 (1), 02/08/2026 18:58 (1), 02/15/2026 23:08 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

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