Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A Linux kernel flaw in Open vSwitch can mishandle an undersized networking attribute before confirming it contains a valid header. A local, low-privileged attacker may be able to trigger serious confidentiality, integrity, or availability impact. The supplied evidence does not establish remote exploitation or arbitrary code execution.
Executive priority
Treat as a high-priority kernel update for multi-user, virtualization, container, and network-hosting systems using Open vSwitch. It is less urgent for systems without that functionality or meaningful local attacker access, but exposure should be verified rather than assumed.
Technical view
The Open vSwitch set() action accesses the length of a nested netlink key before validating that the attribute is large enough for its header. The kernel stable fixes add the missing validation. CVSS 3.1 rates this 7.8: local, low-complexity, low-privilege, no user interaction, with potentially high impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on affected Linux kernels where Open vSwitch functionality is available to a local low-privileged attacker. Internet reachability alone does not establish exposure. The supplied version data is ambiguous, so distribution kernel versions and backported fixes must be checked against vendor advisories.
Exploitation context
CISA KEV status is false, and the supplied sources do not report active exploitation or a public exploit. The CVSS vector indicates local access and low privileges are required. Practical prerequisites and demonstrated outcomes are not documented in the bundle.
Researcher notes
The defect is an attribute-length validation ordering error involving nla_len() on ovs_key. The bundle provides multiple stable-tree fixes but does not clearly map every affected release to its correcting commit. It also does not identify a CWE, proof of concept, confirmed crash primitive, or demonstrated code-execution path.
Mitigation direction
- Install the vendor-supported kernel update containing the Open vSwitch validation fix.
- Review Linux distribution advisories for backported fixes rather than relying only on upstream version numbers.
- Prioritize shared systems where untrusted local users or workloads can access Open vSwitch functionality.
- Restrict unnecessary local access and Open vSwitch exposure while patching is pending.
Validation and detection
- Inventory kernel package versions on systems using or exposing Open vSwitch.
- Match distribution kernels against vendor advisories and their documented fixed package versions.
- Confirm the relevant stable-kernel fix is present through vendor changelogs or source provenance.
- After updating, verify the new kernel is running and older vulnerable kernels are not active.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CVE-2025-37789 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9LinuxVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/54c6957d1123a2032099b9eab51c314800f677ceCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7fcaec0b2ab8fa5fbf0b45e5512364a168f445bdCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a27526e6b48eee9e2d82efff502c4f272f1a91d4CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1489c195c8eecd262aa6712761ba5288203e28ecCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/824a7c2df5127b2402b68a21a265d413e78dcad7CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/be80768d4f3b6fd13f421451cc3fee8778aba8bcCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/03d7262dd53e8c404da35cc81aaa887fd901f76bCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/65d91192aa66f05710cfddf6a14b5a25ee554dbaCVE reference, Linux
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00045.htmlCVE reference, CVE
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/05/msg00030.htmlCVE reference, CVE
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.