Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A race condition in Linux’s iavf network driver can make the kernel write beyond an allocated statistics buffer. A local user able to reach the vulnerable behavior could cause kernel memory corruption, potentially affecting confidentiality, integrity, or availability. The supplied CVSS score is 7.8. Risk is concentrated on systems using iavf; no active exploitation is documented in the provided sources.
Executive priority
Treat as an expedited kernel patch for systems using iavf, especially shared or locally accessible hosts. It is not supported as a remote or actively exploited emergency, but kernel memory corruption and the high CVSS impact justify prompt inventory, vendor-version confirmation, and remediation.
Technical view
Concurrent channel reconfiguration and statistics retrieval can produce inconsistent queue counts. The statistics buffer may be sized using real_num_tx_queues while iavf_get_ethtool_stats() writes entries using num_active_queues, causing an out-of-bounds write. The stable fixes consistently use immutable num_tx_queues across the related count, string, and statistics functions.
Likely exposure
Likely exposure is limited to affected Linux kernels using the iavf network driver. The CVSS vector indicates a local, low-privileged attack path without user interaction. Exact affected or fixed distribution package versions cannot be determined from this bundle and should be mapped through each Linux vendor’s guidance.
Exploitation context
The supplied record is not in CISA KEV and provides no evidence of active exploitation. Triggering involves a timing-dependent race between iavf channel changes and statistics collection. Kernel out-of-bounds writes can be serious, but the sources do not establish reliable privilege escalation or remote exploitation.
Researcher notes
The demonstrated failure is an eight-byte vmalloc out-of-bounds write detected by KASAN. The root cause is mutable, inconsistent queue-count selection across ethtool callbacks during reconfiguration. The fix uses num_tx_queues as the stable bound. The provided affected-version data is ambiguous, so commit ancestry and distribution backports should be checked before declaring a specific build vulnerable.
Mitigation direction
- Update to a vendor-supported kernel containing the applicable upstream stable fix.
- Consult the Linux distribution’s advisory for precise package and release mappings.
- Prioritize multi-user, virtualized, and other hosts where untrusted users have local access.
- Limit untrusted local access and network-administration privileges until patched.
- Reboot into the updated kernel and confirm the running version.
Validation and detection
- Inventory hosts using affected Linux releases and the iavf driver.
- Map installed kernel packages against vendor advisories and the referenced stable commits.
- Confirm the replacement kernel contains the applicable iavf fix.
- Verify systems booted into the updated kernel after installation.
- Review kernel logs for iavf-related KASAN, memory-corruption, or unexpected crash evidence.
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
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ATT&CK lookup starting points
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CVE-2026-31505 mapping review
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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.
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.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1f931dee5b726df1940348ec31614d64bac03aa6CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bb85741d2dc2be207353a412f51b83697fcbefcfCVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fdf902bf86a80bf15792a1d20a67a5302498d7f1CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fecacfc95f195b99c71c579a472120d0b4ed65faCVE reference, Linux
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.