CVE-2025-22023: usb: xhci: Don't skip on Stopped - Length Invalid
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
usb: xhci: Don't skip on Stopped - Length Invalid
Up until commit d56b0b2ab142 ("usb: xhci: ensure skipped isoc TDs are returned when isoc ring is stopped") in v6.11, the driver didn't skip missed isochronous TDs when handling Stoppend and Stopped - Length Invalid events. Instead, it erroneously cleared the skip flag, which would cause the ring to get stuck, as future events won't match the missed TD which is never removed from the queue until it's cancelled.
This buggy logic seems to have been in place substantially unchanged since the 3.x series over 10 years ago, which probably speaks first and foremost about relative rarity of this case in normal usage, but by the spec I see no reason why it shouldn't be possible.
After d56b0b2ab142, TDs are immediately skipped when handling those Stopped events. This poses a potential problem in case of Stopped - Length Invalid, which occurs either on completed TDs (likely already given back) or Link and No-Op TRBs. Such event won't be recognized as matching any TD (unless it's the rare Link TRB inside a TD) and will result in skipping all pending TDs, giving them back possibly before they are done, risking isoc data loss and maybe UAF by HW.
As a compromise, don't skip and don't clear the skip flag on this kind of event. Then the next event will skip missed TDs. A downside of not handling Stopped - Length Invalid on a Link inside a TD is that if the TD is cancelled, its actual length will not be updated to account for TRBs (silently) completed before the TD was stopped.
I had no luck producing this sequence of completion events so there is no compelling demonstration of any resulting disaster. It may be a very rare, obscure condition. The sole motivation for this patch is that if such unlikely event does occur, I'd rather risk reporting a cancelled partially done isoc frame as empty than gamble with UAF.
This will be fixed more properly by looking at Stopped event's TRB pointer when making skipping decisions, but such rework is unlikely to be backported to v6.12, which will stay around for a few years.
Affected Software
Remediation
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2025-22023?
The severity of CVE-2025-22023 is classified as moderate due to potential implications in the handling of isochronous transfers.
How do I fix CVE-2025-22023?
To fix CVE-2025-22023, you should update to the Linux kernel version 6.11 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed.
Which versions of the Linux kernel are affected by CVE-2025-22023?
CVE-2025-22023 affects all versions of the Linux kernel before 6.11.
What type of vulnerabilities does CVE-2025-22023 involve?
CVE-2025-22023 involves vulnerabilities in the USB xHCI driver related to the handling of isochronous transfer descriptors.
Is there a workaround for CVE-2025-22023 if I cannot update?
There is no documented workaround for CVE-2025-22023, and the best solution is to apply the available patch.