Linux Kernel up to 5.15.126/6.1.45/6.4.10 net net/core/filter.c bpf_xdp_adjust_tail allocation of resources

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.126/6.1.45/6.4.10. Impacted is the function bpf_xdp_adjust_tail of the file net/core/filter.c of the component net. The manipulation leads to allocation of resources. This vulnerability is referenced as CVE-2023-54155. No exploit is available. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 5.15.126/6.1.45/6.4.10. It has been rated as critical. This issue affects the function bpf_xdp_adjust_tail of the file net/core/filter.c of the component net. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a allocation of resources vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-770. The product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated, in violation of the intended security policy for that actor. The impact remains unknown. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: core: remove unnecessary frame_sz check in bpf_xdp_adjust_tail() Syzkaller reported the following issue: ======================================= Too BIG xdp->frame_sz = 131072 WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 5020 at net/core/filter.c:4121 ____bpf_xdp_adjust_tail net/core/filter.c:4121 [inline] WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 5020 at net/core/filter.c:4121 bpf_xdp_adjust_tail+0x466/0xa10 net/core/filter.c:4103 ... Call Trace: <TASK> bpf_prog_4add87e5301a4105+0x1a/0x1c __bpf_prog_run include/linux/filter.h:600 [inline] bpf_prog_run_xdp include/linux/filter.h:775 [inline] bpf_prog_run_generic_xdp+0x57e/0x11e0 net/core/dev.c:4721 netif_receive_generic_xdp net/core/dev.c:4807 [inline] do_xdp_generic+0x35c/0x770 net/core/dev.c:4866 tun_get_user+0x2340/0x3ca0 drivers/net/tun.c:1919 tun_chr_write_iter+0xe8/0x210 drivers/net/tun.c:2043 call_write_iter include/linux/fs.h:1871 [inline] new_sync_write fs/read_write.c:491 [inline] vfs_write+0x650/0xe40 fs/read_write.c:584 ksys_write+0x12f/0x250 fs/read_write.c:637 do_syscall_x64 arch/x86/entry/common.c:50 [inline] do_syscall_64+0x38/0xb0 arch/x86/entry/common.c:80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x63/0xcd xdp->frame_sz > PAGE_SIZE check was introduced in commit c8741e2bfe87 ("xdp: Allow bpf_xdp_adjust_tail() to grow packet size"). But Jesper Dangaard Brouer <[email protected]> noted that after introducing the xdp_init_buff() which all XDP driver use - it's safe to remove this check. The original intend was to catch cases where XDP drivers have not been updated to use xdp.frame_sz, but that is not longer a concern (since xdp_init_buff). Running the initial syzkaller repro it was discovered that the contiguous physical memory allocation is used for both xdp paths in tun_get_user(), e.g. tun_build_skb() and tun_alloc_skb(). It was also stated by Jesper Dangaard Brouer <[email protected]> that XDP can work on higher order pages, as long as this is contiguous physical memory (e.g. a page).

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2023-54155 since 12/24/2025. The exploitation is known to be difficult. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 279728 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2023-54155), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 5.15.127, 6.1.46 or 6.4.11 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch a09c258cfa77d3ba0a7acc555c73eb6b005c4bd8/20acffcdc2b74fb7dcc4e299f7aca173df89d911/d9252d67ed2f921c230bba449ee051b5c32e4841/d14eea09edf427fa36bd446f4a3271f99164202f 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 (279728) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2929). Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Affected

• Open Source Linux Kernel

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 5.15.126
• 6.1.0
• 6.1.1
• 6.1.2
• 6.1.3
• 6.1.4
• 6.1.5
• 6.1.6
• 6.1.7
• 6.1.8
• 6.1.9
• 6.1.10
• 6.1.11
• 6.1.12
• 6.1.13
• 6.1.14
• 6.1.15
• 6.1.16
• 6.1.17
• 6.1.18
• 6.1.19
• 6.1.20
• 6.1.21
• 6.1.22
• 6.1.23
• 6.1.24
• 6.1.25
• 6.1.26
• 6.1.27
• 6.1.28
• 6.1.29
• 6.1.30
• 6.1.31
• 6.1.32
• 6.1.33
• 6.1.34
• 6.1.35
• 6.1.36
• 6.1.37
• 6.1.38
• 6.1.39
• 6.1.40
• 6.1.41
• 6.1.42
• 6.1.43
• 6.1.44
• 6.1.45
• 6.4.0
• 6.4.1
• 6.4.2
• 6.4.3
• 6.4.4
• 6.4.5
• 6.4.6
• 6.4.7
• 6.4.8
• 6.4.9
• 6.4.10

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

CVSSv3info

CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Discussion