CVE-2026-97965

What it is

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: vxlan: initialize _md in vxlan_xmit_one() If a VXLAN device is configured with both VXLAN_F_COLLECT_METADATA and VXLAN_F_GBP, and a packet is transmitted through it using an external ip_tunnel_info that lacks the IP_TUNNEL_VXLAN_OPT_BIT flag, md is left pointing to the uninitialized _md stack variable: if (test_bit(IP_TUNNEL_VXLAN_OPT_BIT, info->key.tun_flags)) { if (info->options_len < sizeof(*md)) goto drop; md = ip_tunnel_info_opts(info); } Because IP_TUNNEL_VXLAN_OPT_BIT is not set, md is not updated and remains pointing to _md. Later, vxlan_build_skb() is called with md, which eventually calls vxlan_build_gbp_hdr(): if (vxflags & VXLAN_F_GBP) vxlan_build_gbp_hdr(vxh, md); Inside vxlan_build_gbp_hdr(), md->gbp is read: if (!md->gbp) return; gbp = (struct vxlanhdr_gbp *)vxh; ... if (md->gbp & VXLAN_GBP_DONT_LEARN) gbp->dont_learn = 1; If the stack contains garbage, this causes: 1) VXLAN_HF_GBP flag to be spuriously set in the VXLAN header. 2) gbp->dont_learn and gbp->policy_applied to be set from stack bits. 3) gbp->policy_id to receive 16 bits of uninitialized kernel stack data, leaking it onto the wire. Fix this by zero-initializing _md. If IP_TUNNEL_VXLAN_OPT_BIT is not present, md->gbp remains 0, and vxlan_build_gbp_hdr() returns early without modifying the VXLAN header.

At a glance

Exploit odds

0.2% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (EPSS).

Fix

No patch or advisory is linked yet. Look at mitigations or restrict exposure.

Timeline

1. 2026-09-25 11:17 UTC PublishedDisclosed publicly on CVE.org and NVD
2. 2026-10-21 13:21 UTC Last updatedMost recent change to the record

Why it ranks here

• Exploited in the wild: no, CISA does not list it.
• Exploit odds: 0.2% in the next 30 days (EPSS).
• Severity: not scored yet.
• Fix: none linked yet, which raises it.

Details

Published

2026-09-25 11:17 UTC

Last modified

2026-10-21 13:21 UTC

Exploit probability

0.2% · EPSS, next 30 days

Record status

Received

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