CVE-2025-22087
📋 TL;DR
A Linux kernel vulnerability in the BPF subsystem where the may_goto instruction uses extra stack space, causing array bounds errors when calculating interpreter indices. This affects systems running vulnerable Linux kernel versions with BPF enabled, potentially allowing local attackers to cause kernel crashes or memory corruption.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel
📦 What is this software?
Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Local privilege escalation to kernel-level code execution leading to complete system compromise.
Likely Case
Kernel panic or denial of service through memory corruption, causing system crashes.
If Mitigated
System remains stable with proper kernel hardening and BPF restrictions in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and ability to load BPF programs; complexity depends on achieving reliable memory corruption.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions containing commits 19e6817f84000d0b06f09fd69ebd56217842c122, 1a86ae57b2600e5749f5f674e9d4296ac00c69a8, 4524b7febdd55fb99ae2e1f48db64019fa69e643, 6ebc5030e0c5a698f1dd9a6684cddf6ccaed64a0
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/19e6817f84000d0b06f09fd69ebd56217842c122
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version from your distribution's repository. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify kernel version after reboot.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable unprivileged BPF
linuxPrevents non-root users from loading BPF programs, reducing attack surface.
sysctl -w kernel.unprivileged_bpf_disabled=1
echo 'kernel.unprivileged_bpf_disabled = 1' >> /etc/sysctl.conf
sysctl -p
Enable kernel lockdown
linuxRestricts kernel self-modification and BPF program loading.
echo 'kernel_lockdown=on' >> /etc/default/grub
update-grub
reboot
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict BPF program loading to trusted users only via capabilities or SELinux/AppArmor policies.
- Implement strict monitoring for kernel crashes and suspicious BPF program activity.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and compare with patched versions from kernel git history; examine if BPF is enabled and accessible.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version matches patched version and test BPF functionality for stability.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic logs
- BPF program loading failures
- Out of bounds memory access warnings in kernel logs
Network Indicators:
- None - local exploitation only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "BPF" OR "out of bounds")