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Linux Kernel EUVDEUVD-2026-67491

| CVE-2026-80615 HIGH
2026-08-28 Linux GHSA-7hmj-qv84-3gcj
8.2
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: Linux
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Recon
    Identify host with GENEVE tunnel active
  2. Delivery
    Send crafted GENEVE-encapsulated packet
  3. Exploit
    Trigger geneve_xmit processing
  4. Install
    Invoke tun_dst_unclone memcpy with full options
  5. C2
    FORTIFY_SOURCE evaluates options_len=0
  6. Execute
    Fire kernel overflow warning
  7. Impact
    Kernel panic causes host unavailability

Vulnerability Assessment

Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires all of the following non-default conditions: (1) the Linux kernel must be compiled with the clang compiler (not GCC, which is the default for most distributions) with FORTIFY_SOURCE/source fortification enabled; (2) the GENEVE kernel module must be loaded and an active GENEVE tunnel interface must be configured on the target host; (3) the kernel's fortification warning must be configured to escalate to a fatal condition (BUG/panic) for availability impact to materialize. Systems running standard distribution kernels built with GCC are not affected. The C:L confidentiality impact in the provided CVSS vector is not substantiated by the description and should be treated as unconfirmed. Authentication requirements are not confirmed from available data for the GENEVE packet trigger, though network adjacency is implied.

Impact

The NVD-assigned CVSS 8.2 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H) materially overstates real-world risk. The description explicitly characterizes this as a false-positive triggered only when building the kernel with clang and FORTIFY_SOURCE-conditions absent from the vast majority of production Linux deployments, which use GCC. Additionally, GENEVE tunneling must be configured and active, further narrowing the attack surface. AC:L is inconsistent with these non-default prerequisites; AC:H is more appropriate. The C:L impact is unexplained by the description and appears speculative. EPSS of 0.17% at the 7th percentile strongly corroborates negligible exploitation interest. The vulnerability is not in CISA KEV and no public exploit exists. Real risk is bounded to clang-built, fortification-hardened Linux kernels with GENEVE tunnels active-a rare combination in production. The actual severity is closer to a Medium than a High.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker on a network segment adjacent to a Linux host running GENEVE tunnels sends crafted encapsulated packets that trigger the geneve_xmit transmit path. The kernel processes the packet through skb_tunnel_info_unclone, invoking tun_dst_unclone, where the single-stage memcpy of tunnel info and options fires the FORTIFY_SOURCE overflow check. On a clang-built kernel where this warning escalates to a BUG() or panic, the host becomes unavailable. No public proof-of-concept exploit exists.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.2% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Aug 29, 2026

Kernel memory corruption path in Linux's tunnel metadata subsystem (tun_dst_unclone) triggers a FORTIFY_SOURCE memcpy overflow warning when the kernel is built with clang, due to the __counted_by annotation on a flexible array member being evaluated as zero at copy time. Systems using GENEVE tunneling on clang-built kernels with source fortification enabled may experience kernel availability disruption if the warning escalates to a panic. No public exploit has been identified; EPSS of 0.17% at the 7th percentile reflects low exploitation probability, and the vulnerability is not listed in CISA KEV.

RemediationAI

Apply the upstream stable kernel fix available at https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7ce31739fe88a558370135db95bbeec1e7ddfc29 and https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4c6d43db2a4d2cef3921e885cf34798f790d34ea; distribution maintainers should target kernel versions 7.1.5 or 7.2 per EUVD patch tracking. As an immediate workaround for systems that cannot be patched, disabling the GENEVE kernel module (modprobe -r geneve) eliminates the vulnerable code path at the cost of losing GENEVE-based overlay networking (e.g., certain Kubernetes CNI configurations). Systems built with GCC instead of clang will not trigger the fortification false-positive, though switching compilers solely for this issue is not advisable as it may introduce other regressions. No additional compensating controls are needed for GCC-built kernels or for systems without GENEVE tunneling active.

Affected VersionsENISA

Linux patch: 0
Linux 7.0
Linux patch: 7.2
Linux patch: 7.1.5
Linux 69050f8d6d075dc01af7a5f2f550a8067510366f <4c6d43db2a4d2cef3921e885cf34798f790d34ea
Linux 69050f8d6d075dc01af7a5f2f550a8067510366f <7ce31739fe88a558370135db95bbeec1e7ddfc29

Affected Packages

euvd linux no fix

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

The affected code is in the Linux kernel networking subsystem, specifically net/core/dst.c and the tunnel metadata path. metadata_dst_alloc() uses kmalloc_flex() to allocate a metadata_dst struct with a flexible array member annotated via __counted_by(options_len), but initializes options_len to zero at allocation time. When tun_dst_unclone() later performs a single memcpy of the full ip_tunnel_info struct including variable-length options, the FORTIFY_SOURCE runtime or compile-time check evaluates the destination capacity as zero bytes based on the zero __counted_by value, triggering a false-positive overflow warning. The stack trace involves skb_tunnel_info_unclone → geneve_xmit, confirming the trigger is the GENEVE (Generic Network Virtualization Encapsulation) transmit path. This is a __counted_by annotation lifetime issue rather than a traditional buffer overflow-the memory is correctly allocated, but the compiler/fortification framework cannot verify it. No CWE has been assigned by NVD.

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Severity by source

Vendor (Linux) PRIMARY 8.2 HIGH
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H
vuln.today AI 5.9 MEDIUM

Non-default clang+FORTIFY_SOURCE build and active GENEVE tunnel both required; no confidentiality or integrity impact described.

3.1 AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.0 AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
SUSE 5.5 MEDIUM
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Red Hat 5.5 MEDIUM

Primary rating from Vendor (Linux).

CVSS VectorVendor: Linux

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

4
CVSS changed
Aug 29, 2026 - 07:22 NVD
8.2 (HIGH)
Patch available
Aug 28, 2026 - 09:02 EUVD
CVE Published
Aug 28, 2026 - 06:48 cve.org
UNKNOWN (no severity yet)
CVE Published
Aug 28, 2026 - 06:48 cve.org
HIGH 8.2

DescriptionCVE.org

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

net: dst_metadata: fix false-positive memcpy overflow in tun_dst_unclone

kmalloc_flex() in metadata_dst_alloc() sets __counted_by for the structure to the options_len, which is then initialized to zero. Later, we're initializing the structure by copying the tunnel info together with the options, and this triggers a warning for a potential memcpy overflow, since the compiler estimates that the options can't fit into the structure, even though the memory for them is actually allocated.

memcpy: detected buffer overflow: 104 byte write of buffer size 96 WARNING: CPU: X PID: Y at lib/string_helpers.c:1036 __fortify_report skb_tunnel_info_unclone+0x179/0x190 geneve_xmit+0x7fe/0xe00

The issue is triggered when built with clang and source fortification.

Fix that by doing the copy in two stages: first - the main data with the options_len, then the options. This way the correct length should be known at the time of the copy.

It would be better if the options_len never changed after allocation, but the allocation code is a little separate from the initialization and it would be awkward and potentially dangerous to return a struct with options_len set to a non-zero value from the metadata_dst_alloc().

Another option would be to use ip_tunnel_info_opts_set(), but it is doing too many unnecessary operations for the use case here.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

A kernel memory corruption vulnerability in Linux's GENEVE tunnel metadata subsystem (CVE-2026-80615) could cause kernel panics and service availability disruption on systems running clang-compiled Linux kernels with GENEVE tunnel deployments. With no public exploit identified at time of analysis and 0.2% exploitation probability, immediate organizational risk is limited, but the high technical severity warrants prompt patching of affected infrastructure.

Business Impact: Medium
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch. If patch deployment requires an extended timeline, disable GENEVE tunnel support in kernel configuration on affected systems, or redirect production traffic away from GENEVE-based tunnels until patching is complete.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.2%
Top 93% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
Linux kernel underpins the vast majority of cloud, server, and embedded deployments
Data Quality
6 sources
Confidence: High

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.2%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable· derived
Yes
Human Impact
Medium

Priority Score

41
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +41
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

A buffer overflow occurs when a program writes more data to a memory buffer than it was allocated to hold, causing the excess data to spill into adjacent memory regions.

Vendor StatusVendor

SUSE

Severity: Moderate
Product Status
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7 Not-Affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7 Not-Affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 SP7 Not-Affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 15 SP7 Not-Affected
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension 16.0 Not-Affected

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