CVE-2025-38417
📋 TL;DR
A memory leak vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's Intel Ethernet Controller E800 Series (ice) driver when handling VF resets in legacy mode. This causes kernel memory exhaustion over time, potentially leading to system instability or denial of service. Systems using affected Intel NICs with SR-IOV VFs configured are vulnerable.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with Intel Ethernet Controller E800 Series (ice) 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 →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
Repeated VF resets in legacy mode cause continuous memory allocation without freeing, eventually exhausting kernel memory and crashing the system.
Likely Case
Gradual memory leak during normal operations with VF resets, leading to performance degradation and potential system instability over time.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact if systems don't use SR-IOV VFs or don't trigger VF resets frequently.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and ability to trigger VF resets. Not a privilege escalation vulnerability.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions with commits 48c8b214974d, d6715193de43, or e97a7a051b55
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/48c8b214974dc55283bd5f12e3a483b27c403bbc
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify driver version and functionality.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Avoid VF resets
linuxPrevent triggering VF resets which cause the memory leak
# Avoid using: echo 1 > /sys/class/net/ethX/device/reset
Use switchdev mode
linuxConfigure NIC in switchdev mode instead of legacy mode
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor kernel memory usage and restart systems showing memory exhaustion
- Disable SR-IOV VFs if not required for operations
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if system uses Intel E800 NICs with ice driver and has VFs configured: lspci | grep -i ethernet; lsmod | grep ice; cat /sys/class/net/ethX/device/sriov_numvfsCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Check kernel version contains fix commits: uname -r; git log --oneline | grep -E '48c8b214974d|d6715193de43|e97a7a051b55'📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oom-killer messages
- Memory allocation failures in dmesg
- ice driver error messages
Network Indicators:
- Network performance degradation on affected interfaces
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("oom-killer" OR "out of memory" OR "ice" AND "allocation failed")