# CVE-2025-38413: virtio-net: xsk: rx: fix the frame's length check

> A logic error in the Linux kernel's virtio-net driver allows incorrect frame length checks, potentially leading to memory corruption or denial of service.

- **Severity:** High 7.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Jul 2025
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2025-38413, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-38413, GHSA-4j4w-3wcx-mxg6, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-38413

## What is CVE-2025-38413?

CVE-2025-38413 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 25 Jul 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:

virtio-net: xsk: rx: fix the frame's length check

When calling buf_to_xdp, the len argument is the frame data's length
without virtio header's length (vi->hdr_len). We check that len with

	xsk_pool_get_rx_frame_size() + vi->hdr_len

to ensure the provided len does not larger than the allocated chunk
size. The additional vi->hdr_len is because in virtnet_add_recvbuf_xsk,
we use part of XDP_PACKET_HEADROOM for virtio header and ask the vhost
to start placing data from

	hard_start + XDP_PACKET_HEADROOM - vi->hdr_len
not
	hard_start + XDP_PACKET_HEADROOM

But the first buffer has virtio_header, so the maximum frame's length in
the first buffer can only be

	xsk_pool_get_rx_frame_size()
not
	xsk_pool_get_rx_frame_size() + vi->hdr_len

like in the current check.

This commit adds an additional argument to buf_to_xdp differentiate
between the first buffer and other ones to correctly calculate the maximum
frame's length.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-38413?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-38413?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-38413 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38413 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-38413 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-38413 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 25 Jul 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-38413 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38413/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38413/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-38413
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-38413
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-38413

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-38413/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.