CVE-2025-71128

erspan: Initialize options_len before referencing options.

Published Jan 14, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.5 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

erspan: Initialize options_len before referencing options.

The struct ip_tunnel_info has a flexible array member named
options that is protected by a counted_by(options_len)
attribute.

The compiler will use this information to enforce runtime bounds
checking deployed by FORTIFY_SOURCE string helpers.

As laid out in the GCC documentation, the counter must be
initialized before the first reference to the flexible array
member.

After scanning through the files that use struct ip_tunnel_info
and also refer to options or options_len, it appears the normal
case is to use the ip_tunnel_info_opts_set() helper.

Said helper would initialize options_len properly before copying
data into options, however in the GRE ERSPAN code a partial
update is done, preventing the use of the helper function.

Before this change the handling of ERSPAN traffic in GRE tunnels
would cause a kernel panic when the kernel is compiled with
GCC 15+ and having FORTIFY_SOURCE configured:

memcpy: detected buffer overflow: 4 byte write of buffer size 0

Call Trace:
<IRQ>
__fortify_panic+0xd/0xf
erspan_rcv.cold+0x68/0x83
? ip_route_input_slow+0x816/0x9d0
gre_rcv+0x1b2/0x1c0
gre_rcv+0x8e/0x100
? raw_v4_input+0x2a0/0x2b0
ip_protocol_deliver_rcu+0x1ea/0x210
ip_local_deliver_finish+0x86/0x110
ip_local_deliver+0x65/0x110
? ip_rcv_finish_core+0xd6/0x360
ip_rcv+0x186/0x1a0

Reported-at: https://launchpad.net/bugs/2129580

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8094-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8094-2 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8094-3 Linux kernel (Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8094-4 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8094-5 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8152-1 Linux kernel (OEM) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-665
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses NVD-CWE-noinfo
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.15:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc8:*:*:*:*:*:*
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.0, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.0, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

threat_severity

Important

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: erspan: Initialize options_len before referencing options. The struct ip_tunnel_info has a flexible array member named options that is protected by a counted_by(options_len) attribute. The compiler will use this information to enforce runtime bounds checking deployed by FORTIFY_SOURCE string helpers. As laid out in the GCC documentation, the counter must be initialized before the first reference to the flexible array member. After scanning through the files that use struct ip_tunnel_info and also refer to options or options_len, it appears the normal case is to use the ip_tunnel_info_opts_set() helper. Said helper would initialize options_len properly before copying data into options, however in the GRE ERSPAN code a partial update is done, preventing the use of the helper function. Before this change the handling of ERSPAN traffic in GRE tunnels would cause a kernel panic when the kernel is compiled with GCC 15+ and having FORTIFY_SOURCE configured: memcpy: detected buffer overflow: 4 byte write of buffer size 0 Call Trace: <IRQ> __fortify_panic+0xd/0xf erspan_rcv.cold+0x68/0x83 ? ip_route_input_slow+0x816/0x9d0 gre_rcv+0x1b2/0x1c0 gre_rcv+0x8e/0x100 ? raw_v4_input+0x2a0/0x2b0 ip_protocol_deliver_rcu+0x1ea/0x210 ip_local_deliver_finish+0x86/0x110 ip_local_deliver+0x65/0x110 ? ip_rcv_finish_core+0xd6/0x360 ip_rcv+0x186/0x1a0 Reported-at: https://launchpad.net/bugs/2129580
Title erspan: Initialize options_len before referencing options.
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Oct 19, 2026, 6:15 PM
Reserved
Jan 13, 2026, 3:30 PM
Status
Modified
Published
Jan 14, 2026, 3:16 PM
Modified
Oct 19, 2026, 7:17 PM
Severity
Important
Public date
Jan 14, 2026, 12:00 AM