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CVE Record

CVE-2025-39949: qed: Don't collect too many protection override GRC elements

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: qed: Don't collect too many protection override GRC elements In the protection override dump path, the firmware can return far too many GRC elements, resulting in attempting to write past the end of the previously-kmalloc'ed dump buffer. This will result in a kernel panic with reason: BUG: unable to handle kernel paging request at ADDRESS where "ADDRESS" is just past the end of the protection override dump buffer. The start address of the buffer is: p_hwfn->cdev->dbg_features[DBG_FEATURE_PROTECTION_OVERRIDE].dump_buf and the size of the buffer is buf_size in the same data structure. The panic can be arrived at from either the qede Ethernet driver path: [exception RIP: qed_grc_dump_addr_range+0x108] qed_protection_override_dump at ffffffffc02662ed [qed] qed_dbg_protection_override_dump at ffffffffc0267792 [qed] qed_dbg_feature at ffffffffc026aa8f [qed] qed_dbg_all_data at ffffffffc026b211 [qed] qed_fw_fatal_reporter_dump at ffffffffc027298a [qed] devlink_health_do_dump at ffffffff82497f61 devlink_health_report at ffffffff8249cf29 qed_report_fatal_error at ffffffffc0272baf [qed] qede_sp_task at ffffffffc045ed32 [qede] process_one_work at ffffffff81d19783 or the qedf storage driver path: [exception RIP: qed_grc_dump_addr_range+0x108] qed_protection_override_dump at ffffffffc068b2ed [qed] qed_dbg_protection_override_dump at ffffffffc068c792 [qed] qed_dbg_feature at ffffffffc068fa8f [qed] qed_dbg_all_data at ffffffffc0690211 [qed] qed_fw_fatal_reporter_dump at ffffffffc069798a [qed] devlink_health_do_dump at ffffffff8aa95e51 devlink_health_report at ffffffff8aa9ae19 qed_report_fatal_error at ffffffffc0697baf [qed] qed_hw_err_notify at ffffffffc06d32d7 [qed] qed_spq_post at ffffffffc06b1011 [qed] qed_fcoe_destroy_conn at ffffffffc06b2e91 [qed] qedf_cleanup_fcport at ffffffffc05e7597 [qedf] qedf_rport_event_handler at ffffffffc05e7bf7 [qedf] fc_rport_work at ffffffffc02da715 [libfc] process_one_work at ffffffff8a319663 Resolve this by clamping the firmware's return value to the maximum number of legal elements the firmware should return.

HighCVSS 7.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A Linux network/storage driver flaw can let an excessive firmware response overrun a diagnostic buffer and crash the kernel. Systems using the qed driver with qede Ethernet or qedf storage paths may lose availability. The supplied CVSS score is 7.8, but the public evidence provided demonstrates a kernel panic rather than confirmed compromise.

Executive priority

Treat as a high-priority availability risk for systems using the affected drivers, especially critical network or storage infrastructure. Patch during the next expedited maintenance window. Immediate emergency action is less clearly justified because exploitation requires local access and no active exploitation is reported.

Technical view

The qed protection-override dump path trusts a firmware-supplied GRC element count. An excessive count causes writes beyond a previously allocated dump buffer. The documented call paths involve qede and qedf. Linux resolved the issue by clamping the returned count to the maximum legal number of elements.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely on Linux hosts loading qed with qede Ethernet or qedf storage support. The bundle lists affected releases from 4.18 through 6.17, including several stable-series versions, but its version formatting is ambiguous. Confirm exact vulnerable and fixed builds with the kernel or distribution vendor.

Exploitation context

The CVSS vector requires local access and low privileges, with no user interaction. The supplied record is not in KEV and provides no evidence of active exploitation. It documents crashes reached through driver error-reporting and cleanup paths.

Researcher notes

The source establishes an out-of-bounds kernel write and reproducible panic boundary immediately beyond the allocated dump buffer. Although the CVSS assessment assigns high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, the supplied technical narrative only substantiates kernel failure. No exploitability analysis, weaponization evidence, or confirmed data compromise is provided.

Mitigation direction

  • Install a vendor-supported kernel containing the applicable stable fix, then reboot into that kernel.
  • Prioritize affected network and storage hosts where an unexpected kernel panic would cause significant operational disruption.
  • Check Linux distribution guidance for exact fixed package versions and supported backports.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory kernel versions and identify systems loading qed, qede, or qedf modules.
  • Compare each running kernel build against vendor advisories and the referenced stable commits.
  • Verify patched hosts rebooted successfully and are running the intended fixed kernel.
  • Review kernel logs and crash records for qed protection-override dumps or paging-request panics.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
9

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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CVE-2025-39949 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
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

Official CVE source material

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.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
8Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Linux

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.8High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2025-39949Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxd52c89f120de849575f6b2e5948038f2be12ce6f, d52c89f120de849575f6b2e5948038f2be12ce6f, d52c89f120de849575f6b2e5948038f2be12ce6f, d52c89f120de849575f6b2e5948038f2be12ce6f, d52c89f120de849575f6b2e5948038f2be12ce6f, d52c89f120de849575f6b2e5948038f2be12ce6f, d52c89f120de849575f6b2e5948038f2be12ce6funaffected
LinuxLinux4.18, 0, 5.10.245, 5.15.194, 6.1.154, 6.6.108, 6.12.49, 6.16.9, 6.17affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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