CVE-2025-37872 net: txgbe: fix memory leak in txgbe_probe() error path

Medium 5.5 Published Updated

A memory leak in the txgbe network driver's probe error path can lead to resource exhaustion and denial of service.

Exploited in the wild
Not known
Login needed
Any signed-in user
Attackable
Local or same network only
Victim action needed
Not needed
Fix
Available

What is CVE-2025-37872?

CVE-2025-37872 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 9 May 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

net: txgbe: fix memory leak in txgbe_probe() error path

When txgbe_sw_init() is called, memory is allocated for wx->rss_key in wx_init_rss_key(). However, in txgbe_probe() function, the subsequent error paths after txgbe_sw_init() don't free the rss_key. Fix that by freeing it in error path along with wx->mac_table.

Also change the label to which execution jumps when txgbe_sw_init() fails, because otherwise, it could lead to a double free for rss_key, when the mac_table allocation fails in wx_sw_init().

Weakness: CWE-401

Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-37872?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2025-37872?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.

Is CVE-2025-37872 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-37872 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as BELL-CVE-2025-37872, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-37872, GHSA-jmx8-2f97-v6xr, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2025-37872, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2025-37872, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37872.

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