Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
bootconfig: Fix integer overflow in initrd size check
Sashiko reported that in get_boot_config_from_initrd(), a crafted initrd
with a huge bootconfig size (such as 0xFFFFFFFF) can cause the pointer
arithmetic:
data = ((void *)hdr) - size;
to wrap around on 32-bit systems (or when pointer subtraction overflows).
Because data wraps around, the subsequent bounds check:
if ((unsigned long)data < initrd_start)
evaluates to false, bypassing the check. The kernel then calls
xbc_calc_checksum(data, size), which attempts to read 4GB of memory,
hitting unmapped pages and triggering a fatal kernel page fault during
early boot. Furthermore, on 64-bit systems with an initrd > 4.29 GB, an
unbounded 32-bit size can similarly bypass the initrd_start check.
Fix this by:
1. Ensuring the initrd is at least large enough to contain the bootconfig
footer and verifying hdr is within the initrd bounds.
2. Checking that size does not exceed XBC_DATA_MAX and does not exceed
the available space between initrd_start and hdr before performing
pointer subtraction.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.6.14 – < 5.7, 5.7 | 5.7 |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | linux | 7.2.7-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 6.12.113-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 12 | linux-6.12 | 6.12.113-1~deb12u1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Nvidia-BlueField 24.04 LTS | linux-bluefield | 6.8.0-1036.41 | — |
| Ubuntu Nvidia-BlueField 22.04 LTS | linux-bluefield | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux | 7.0.0-42.42 | USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-aws | 7.0.0-1016.17 | USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-azure | 7.0.0-1020.21 | USN-9019-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde | 7.0.0-1019.19 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-gcp | 7.0.0-1016.18 | USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-gke | 7.0.0-1010.11 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-ibm +1 | 7.0.0-1017.17 | USN-8960-1, USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-nvidia +1 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-oracle | 7.0.0-1015.16 | USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-raspi | 7.0.0-1023.23 | USN-9021-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-realtime | 7.0.0-43.43.1 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | linux-riscv | 7.0.0-42.42.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux | 6.8.0-149.149 | USN-9022-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-aws | 6.8.0-1069.74 | USN-9022-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-aws-7.0 | 7.0.0-1017.18~24.04.1 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-azure | 6.8.0-1073.82 | USN-9022-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde | 6.8.0-1071.78 | USN-9039-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde-7.0 | 7.0.0-1019.19~24.04.1 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-gcp | 6.8.0-1073.81 | USN-9022-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-gcp-7.0 | 7.0.0-1017.19~24.04.1 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-gke | 6.8.0-1068.77 | USN-9022-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-gkeop | 6.8.0-1053.57 | USN-9023-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-hwe-7.0 | 7.0.0-42.42~24.04.1 | USN-8959-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-ibm | 6.8.0-1069.70 | USN-9022-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-lowlatency | 6.8.0-149.149.1 | USN-9022-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-nvidia | 6.8.0-1067.70 | USN-9024-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-nvidia-lowlatency | 6.8.0-1067.70.1 | USN-9040-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-oracle | 6.8.0-1067.71 | USN-9022-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-oracle-7.0 | 7.0.0-1016.18~24.04.1 | USN-9020-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-raspi | 6.8.0-1068.72 | USN-9025-1 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv +32 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv-7.0 | 7.0.0-42.42.1~24.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-vmware | 6.8.0-1010.10 | USN-9022-1 |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux +50 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-aws-6.8 | 6.8.0-1069.74~22.04.1 | USN-9024-1 |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-azure-6.8 | 6.8.0-1073.82~22.04.1 | USN-9026-1 |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde-6.8 | 6.8.0-1071.78~22.04.1 | USN-9026-1 |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-gcp-6.8 | 6.8.0-1073.81~22.04.1 | USN-9024-1 |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-hwe-6.8 | 6.8.0-149.149~22.04.1 | USN-9066-1 |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-ibm-6.8 | 6.8.0-1069.70~22.04.1 | USN-9024-1 |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 | 6.8.0-149.149.1~22.04.1 | USN-9024-1 |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-oracle-6.8 | 6.8.0-1067.71~22.04.1 | USN-9025-1 |
Show 9 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +28 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | 6.8.0-2056.58 | USN-9025-1 |
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS | linux-realtime | 6.8.1-1064.65 | USN-9023-1 |
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS | linux-realtime-6.14 +1 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS | linux-realtime +1 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS | linux-realtime-6.8 | 6.8.1-1064.65~22.04.1 | USN-9024-1 |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS | linux-aws-fips | 6.8.0-1069.74+fips1 | USN-9023-1 |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS | linux-azure-fips | 6.8.0-1073.82+fips1 | USN-9022-1 |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS | linux-fips | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS | linux-gcp-fips | 6.8.0-1073.81+fips1 | USN-9023-1 |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 22.04 LTS | linux-fips +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-preview 22.04 LTS | linux-fips +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | linux-aws-5.15 +10 | No fix yet | — |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | kernel-source | 7.2.9-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:12074-1 |
Amazon Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux 2023 | kernel-livepatch-6.18.54-121.166 +1 | 1:1.0-0.amzn2023 | ALAS2023-2026-3335, ALAS2023-2026-3192 |
| Amazon Linux 2023 | perf6.12 +11 | 1:6.12.113-138.209.amzn2023 | ALAS2023-2026-3335 |
| Amazon Linux 2023 | perf6.18 +12 | 1:6.18.54-121.166.amzn2023 | ALAS2023-2026-3192 |
Azure Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure Linux 3 | kernel | 6.6.161.1-1 | — |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 9 | kernel-uek +34 | 6.12.0-208.112.5.el10uek | ELSA-2026-500572 |
Advisories 18
- USN-9066-1 linux-hwe-6.8 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-9021-1 linux-raspi vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-9022-1 linux, linux-aws, linux-azure, linux-azure-fips, linux-gcp, linux-gke, linux-ibm, linux-lowlatency, linux-oracle, linux-vmware vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-9024-1 linux-aws-6.8, linux-gcp-6.8, linux-ibm-6.8, linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8, linux-nvidia, linux-realtime-6.8 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-9026-1 linux-azure-6.8, linux-azure-fde-6.8 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-9039-1 linux-azure-fde vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-9040-1 linux-nvidia-lowlatency vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-9020-1 linux-aws-7.0, linux-azure-fde, linux-azure-fde-7.0, linux-gcp-7.0, linux-gke, linux-oracle-7.0, linux-realtime vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-8959-1 linux, linux-aws, linux-gcp, linux-hwe-7.0, linux-ibm, linux-oracle vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-9025-1 linux-oracle-6.8, linux-raspi, linux-raspi-realtime vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-9023-1 linux-aws-fips, linux-gcp-fips, linux-gkeop, linux-realtime vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-9019-1 linux-azure vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- USN-8960-1 linux-oem-7.0 vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Nov 12, 2026
- WID-SEC-2026-3579 Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 11, 2026
- ALAS2023-2026-3335 Important: kernel6.12 security update (Amazon Linux 2023) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Nov 2, 2026
- ELSA-2026-500572 Important: Unbreakable Enterprise kernel security update (Oracle Linux 9) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Nov 2, 2026
- ALAS2023-2026-3192 Important: kernel6.18 security update (Amazon Linux 2023) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Oct 26, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2026:12074-1 kernel-devel-7.2.9-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Oct 9, 2026
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/97be05f33f79342ea65d9b99c9ad07a93b8eef5a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4d45bc0f8cdf606d5409b5f64a8a6609f6520c03
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8d4343a411eaa182d323ab5b149496416015f27d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/bff9a1579e2c9b2a59fdf3793becc9d7bf5ff1a6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7812d6dab0698001e50e8c2f901e17da3eb6f429