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CVE Record

CVE-2025-40183: bpf: Fix metadata_dst leak __bpf_redirect_neigh_v{4,6}

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Fix metadata_dst leak __bpf_redirect_neigh_v{4,6} Cilium has a BPF egress gateway feature which forces outgoing K8s Pod traffic to pass through dedicated egress gateways which then SNAT the traffic in order to interact with stable IPs outside the cluster. The traffic is directed to the gateway via vxlan tunnel in collect md mode. A recent BPF change utilized the bpf_redirect_neigh() helper to forward packets after the arrival and decap on vxlan, which turned out over time that the kmalloc-256 slab usage in kernel was ever-increasing. The issue was that vxlan allocates the metadata_dst object and attaches it through a fake dst entry to the skb. The latter was never released though given bpf_redirect_neigh() was merely setting the new dst entry via skb_dst_set() without dropping an existing one first.

HighCVSS 7.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A Linux kernel memory leak can steadily consume kernel memory when traffic follows a specific BPF, VXLAN, and neighbor-redirection path. Sustained use may eventually degrade or disrupt affected Kubernetes nodes. The supplied assessment scores availability impact at CVSS 7.5; it does not identify confidentiality or integrity impact.

Executive priority

Prioritize affected Kubernetes or network nodes using this exact traffic path because continued packet processing may exhaust kernel memory and interrupt workloads. For systems without the implicated configuration, first confirm exposure rather than treating every Linux host as equally urgent.

Technical view

VXLAN attaches an allocated metadata_dst object to the socket buffer. The affected bpf_redirect_neigh IPv4 and IPv6 paths replace the destination using skb_dst_set without first releasing the existing destination reference. Repeated traffic can therefore produce increasing kmalloc-256 slab consumption and eventual resource exhaustion.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely on Linux systems using the implicated BPF redirection path with VXLAN collect-metadata mode, including the described Cilium egress-gateway traffic flow. The bundle lists affected kernel versions across multiple branches, but its version data is ambiguous; distribution-specific kernel status requires confirmation.

Exploitation context

The CVSS vector describes network-reachable, low-complexity availability impact without privileges or user interaction. However, the described behavior depends on a specific configured packet path. KEV is false, and the supplied sources provide no evidence of active exploitation or a public weaponized exploit.

Researcher notes

The root cause is a destination-reference leak, not a disclosed memory corruption primitive. The correction must release an existing skb destination before installing the replacement. Exact affected and fixed package boundaries cannot be reliably derived from the bundle's duplicated commit entries and ambiguous version array; use vendor mappings.

Mitigation direction

  • Identify nodes using Cilium egress gateways, VXLAN collect-metadata mode, and bpf_redirect_neigh.
  • Obtain the appropriate fixed kernel package from the operating-system or appliance vendor.
  • Confirm the updated kernel incorporates the relevant supplied Linux stable commit.
  • Follow vendor guidance before changing the implicated networking path as a temporary risk reduction.

Validation and detection

  • Record running kernel versions and map them against vendor CVE advisories and fixed package releases.
  • Check kernel changelogs for the relevant supplied stable commit.
  • Monitor kmalloc-256 slab consumption for sustained unexplained growth on potentially exposed nodes.
  • After updating, verify nodes booted into the corrected kernel and networking remains operational.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
9

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-2025-40183 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.5 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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
0ADP providers
8Source links

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
7.5CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H3.93.6Linux

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.5High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2025-40183Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxb4ab31414970a7a03a5d55d75083f2c101a30592, b4ab31414970a7a03a5d55d75083f2c101a30592, b4ab31414970a7a03a5d55d75083f2c101a30592, b4ab31414970a7a03a5d55d75083f2c101a30592, b4ab31414970a7a03a5d55d75083f2c101a30592, b4ab31414970a7a03a5d55d75083f2c101a30592, b4ab31414970a7a03a5d55d75083f2c101a30592unaffected
LinuxLinux5.10, 0, 5.10.246, 5.15.195, 6.1.157, 6.6.113, 6.12.54, 6.17.4, 6.18affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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