CVE-2025-37973 wifi: cfg80211: fix out-of-bounds access during multi-link element defragmentation
A local attacker can trigger an out-of-bounds access in the Linux kernel WiFi subsystem, potentially causing a crash or arbitrary code execution.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2025-37973?
CVE-2025-37973 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 20 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:
wifi: cfg80211: fix out-of-bounds access during multi-link element defragmentation
Currently during the multi-link element defragmentation process, the multi-link element length added to the total IEs length when calculating the length of remaining IEs after the multi-link element in cfg80211_defrag_mle(). This could lead to out-of-bounds access if the multi-link element or its corresponding fragment elements are the last elements in the IEs buffer.
To address this issue, correctly calculate the remaining IEs length by deducting the multi-link element end offset from total IEs end offset.
Weakness: CWE-125
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-37973?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2025-37973?
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-2025-37973 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-37973 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2025-37973, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-37973, GHSA-6ch9-8wg9-2389, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2025-37973, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-37973.