Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: macsec: sync features on...
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.
Impact
CVE-2025-39874 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). The vector is requires local access, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. No fixed version is listed yet, so configuration controls and monitoring matter more in the interim.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-39874? CVE-2025-39874 is a medium-severity security vulnerability. No fixed version is listed yet.
- How severe is CVE-2025-39874? CVE-2025-39874 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-39874? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-39874 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-39874 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-39874 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2025-39874 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.