CVE-2025-22104
📋 TL;DR
A buffer overflow vulnerability in the IBM vNIC driver for Linux kernel allows reading beyond allocated memory boundaries when printing hex dumps. This affects Linux systems using the ibmvnic driver, potentially leading to kernel crashes or information disclosure. The vulnerability occurs when buffer sizes aren't multiples of 8 bytes during hex dump operations.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with ibmvnic driver
📦 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic leading to system crash, potential information disclosure of adjacent kernel memory, or denial of service.
Likely Case
Kernel crash or system instability when the ibmvnic driver processes specific network packets during login operations.
If Mitigated
Minor performance impact from using proper kernel helpers for hex dumps with no security risk.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires triggering specific code paths in the ibmvnic driver during login operations. KASAN detection makes exploitation more difficult.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel with commit ae6b1d6c1acee3a2000394d83ec9f1028321e207 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ae6b1d6c1acee3a2000394d83ec9f1028321e207
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commit. 2. For distributions: Use package manager (apt/yum/dnf) to update kernel. 3. Reboot system to load new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable ibmvnic driver
linuxPrevent loading of vulnerable driver module
echo 'blacklist ibmvnic' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod ibmvnic
Use alternative network driver
linuxSwitch to different network interface if available
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor system logs for KASAN reports related to ibmvnic
- Isolate affected systems from critical network segments
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if ibmvnic module is loaded: lsmod | grep ibmvnic. Check kernel version against patched versions.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commit: grep -q 'ae6b1d6c1acee3a2000394d83ec9f1028321e207' /proc/version || uname -r📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- KASAN reports mentioning ibmvnic_login+0xacc
- Kernel oops or panic messages related to ibmvnic
- System logs showing 'BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds' with ibmvnic
Network Indicators:
- Unusual network disconnections on IBM PowerVM systems
- Increased kernel crash reports from virtualization hosts
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("ibmvnic" AND ("KASAN" OR "slab-out-of-bounds" OR "panic"))