CVE-2025-39874
MediumCVSS 5.5Exploitation Probability (EPSS)
Low risk2th percentile - higher than 2% of all known CVEs
Summary
A deadlock occurs in the Linux kernel's macsec implementation when updating network interface features via ETHTOOL_SFEATURES. When lower device (real_dev) features are out of sync with the upper macsec device, netdev_sync_lower_features attempts to re-lock the same device, causing a hang. The fix ensures lower device features are synchronized when the macsec link is created.
Risk Assessment
This can lead to a kernel deadlock and network interface unavailability, posing a denial-of-service (DoS) risk for systems using macsec.
Recommendation
Update the Linux kernel to a version containing the fix for CVE-2025-39874. If immediate patching is not possible, consider restricting the ability to change features via ETHTOOL_SFEATURES on macsec interfaces.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
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- CVE-2026-99258Unknown
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- CVE-2026-99257Unknown
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- CVE-2026-99251Unknown
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- CVE-2026-99248Unknown
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- CVE-2026-99247Unknown
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Original NVD description (English source)
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: macsec: sync features on RTM_NEWLINK Syzkaller managed to lock the lower device via ETHTOOL_SFEATURES: netdev_lock include/linux/netdevice.h:2761 [inline] netdev_lock_ops include/net/netdev_lock.h:42 [inline] netdev_sync_lower_features net/core/dev.c:10649 [inline] __netdev_update_features+0xcb1/0x1be0 net/core/dev.c:10819 netdev_update_features+0x6d/0xe0 net/core/dev.c:10876 macsec_notify+0x2f5/0x660 drivers/net/macsec.c:4533 notifier_call_chain+0x1b3/0x3e0 kernel/notifier.c:85 call_netdevice_notifiers_extack net/core/dev.c:2267 [inline] call_netdevice_notifiers net/core/dev.c:2281 [inline] netdev_features_change+0x85/0xc0 net/core/dev.c:1570 __dev_ethtool net/ethtool/ioctl.c:3469 [inline] dev_ethtool+0x1536/0x19b0 net/ethtool/ioctl.c:3502 dev_ioctl+0x392/0x1150 net/core/dev_ioctl.c:759 It happens because lower features are out of sync with the upper: __dev_ethtool (real_dev) netdev_lock_ops(real_dev) ETHTOOL_SFEATURES __netdev_features_change netdev_sync_upper_features disable LRO on the lower if (old_features != dev->features) netdev_features_change fires NETDEV_FEAT_CHANGE macsec_notify NETDEV_FEAT_CHANGE netdev_update_features (for each macsec dev) netdev_sync_lower_features if (upper_features != lower_features) netdev_lock_ops(lower) # lower == real_dev stuck ... netdev_unlock_ops(real_dev) Per commit af5f54b0ef9e ("net: Lock lower level devices when updating features"), we elide the lock/unlock when the upper and lower features are synced. Makes sure the lower (real_dev) has proper features after the macsec link has been created. This makes sure we never hit the situation where we need to sync upper flags to the lower.
Vulnerability data from NVD (NIST) · CISA KEV · EPSS

