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CVE-2025-39756

fs: Prevent file descriptor table allocations exceeding INT_MAX

CVSS score

5.5

EPSS probability

%0.2

Risk score

0.0

Published

1 y ago

Official patch verified

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Vulnerability description

DayBreach CVE AI Research

CVE-2025-39756 has vendor, distribution, patch and security-source records on file. We can compare them and prepare an explanation linked to the evidence.

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fs: Prevent file descriptor table allocations exceeding INT_MAX When sysctl_nr_open is set to a very high value (for example, 1073741816 as set by systemd), processes attempting to use file descriptors near the limit can trigger massive memory allocation attempts that exceed INT_MAX, resulting in a WARNING in mm/slub.c: WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 44 at mm/slub.c:5027 __kvmalloc_node_noprof+0x21a/0x288 This happens because kvmalloc_array() and kvmalloc() check if the requested size exceeds INT_MAX and emit a warning when the allocation is not flagged with __GFP_NOWARN. Specifically, when nr_open is set to 1073741816 (0x3ffffff8) and a process calls dup2(oldfd, 1073741880), the kernel attempts to allocate: - File descriptor array: 1073741880 * 8 bytes = 8,589,935,040 bytes - Multiple bitmaps: ~400MB - Total allocation size: > 8GB (exceeding INT_MAX = 2,147,483,647) Reproducer: 1. Set /proc/sys/fs/nr_open to 1073741816: # echo 1073741816 > /proc/sys/fs/nr_open 2. Run a program that uses a high file descriptor: #include <unistd.h> #include <sys/resource.h> int main() { struct rlimit rlim = {1073741824, 1073741824}; setrlimit(RLIMIT_NOFILE, &rlim); dup2(2, 1073741880); // Triggers the warning return 0; } 3. Observe WARNING in dmesg at mm/slub.c:5027 systemd commit a8b627a introduced automatic bumping of fs.nr_open to the maximum possible value. The rationale was that systems with memory control groups (memcg) no longer need separate file descriptor limits since memory is properly accounted. However, this change overlooked that: 1. The kernel's allocation functions still enforce INT_MAX as a maximum size regardless of memcg accounting 2. Programs and tests that legitimately test file descriptor limits can inadvertently trigger massive allocations 3. The resulting allocations (>8GB) are impractical and will always fail systemd's algorithm starts with INT_MAX and keeps halving the value until the kernel accepts it. On most systems, this results in nr_open being set to 1073741816 (0x3ffffff8), which is just under 1GB of file descriptors. While processes rarely use file descriptors near this limit in normal operation, certain selftests (like tools/testing/selftests/core/unshare_test.c) and programs that test file descriptor limits can trigger this issue. Fix this by adding a check in alloc_fdtable() to ensure the requested allocation size does not exceed INT_MAX. This causes the operation to fail with -EMFILE instead of triggering a kernel warning and avoids the impractical >8GB memory allocation request.

IMPACT: Affected Products and Software

Affected Products

The following products are affected by CVE-2025-39756 vulnerability. Where our threat engine knows the exact affected versions, they are listed below.

IDVENDORPRODUCTACTION
1linuxLinux View
2linuxLinux View
3linuxlinux kernel View
4linuxlinux kernel View
5linuxlinux kernel View
6linuxlinux kernel View
7linuxlinux kernel View
8linuxlinux kernel View
9linuxlinux kernel View
10linuxlinux kernel View
11debiandebian linux View
Total affected vendors: 2|Products: 11

RED HAT CSAF/VEX: Product Impact Check

Red Hat has not yet published a CSAF/VEX impact record for this CVE. This does not mean “not affected”.

SCORING: CVSS from Multiple Sources

CVSS Scores

The Common Vulnerability Scoring System is a standardised framework for assessing the severity of vulnerabilities in software and systems. We collect and display CVSS scores from several sources for each CVE.

SCOREVERSIONSEVERITYVECTORSOURCE
5.5CVSS V31MEDIUMCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HNVD

Patch and Remediation Guide

Solution & Remediation Advisory

Patch verified

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Open source
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Open source
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Open source
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Open source
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NVD tarafından Patch olarak etiketlenmiş referans

Open source
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NVD tarafından Patch olarak etiketlenmiş referans

Open source
nvd

NVD tarafından Patch olarak etiketlenmiş referans

Open source
nvd

NVD tarafından Patch olarak etiketlenmiş referans

Open source
nvd

NVD tarafından Patch olarak etiketlenmiş referans

Open source
Confirm the affected product and version against the source evidence above.
Restrict access to internet-facing services and apply network segmentation.
Apply the official update named in the evidence only to the matching product and version.
Monitor server logs and network endpoints for signs of anomalous execution.

Public exploit and active exploitation status

Verified exploit intelligence

No verified public PoC, exploit repository or Metasploit module has been found for this CVE yet.

Weakness Classification and Attack Patterns (CWE & CAPEC)

CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration

While CVE identifies specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorises the common flaws or weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2025-39756 is associated with the following CWEs:

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC) stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2025-39756 weaknesses.

Attack Vector and Accessibility

ExposureYerel erişim
PermissionsLow
UserGerekmiyor

Official Sources and Advisories

CVSS Vector Radar Chart

5.5 / 10
Attack VectorLocalComplexityLowPrivilegesLowUser Interact.NoneConfidentialityLowIntegrityNoneAvailabilityHigh

Vulnerability Scoring Details

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredLow privileges
User InteractionNone required
Confidentiality (Gizlilik)Low
Integrity (Bütünlük)None
Availability (Erişilebilirlik)High

Yama doğrulandı

9 doğrulanmış yama veya düzeltilmiş sürüm kanıtı bulundu.

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Weakness Type (CWE & CAPEC)

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