A critical use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel RDMA/siw driver could allow an unauthenticated attacker to trigger system crashes or execute arbitrary code.

This is a use-after-free vulnerability occurring in the RDMA/siw driver due to improper endpoint and socket association handling. An unauthenticated attacker can trigger this condition by sending a malformed MPA request during connection establishment, leading to memory corruption.

The vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 9.8, reflecting its potential for full system compromise. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized remote code execution, total loss of confidentiality and integrity, and significant service disruption due to kernel panics. Organizations relying on RDMA-enabled Linux infrastructure are at high risk if these services are exposed to untrusted networks.

Immediate Action: Update the Linux kernel to version 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5, or a later stable release provided by your distribution vendor.

Proactive Monitoring: Monitor system logs for kernel BUG entries, specifically references to KASAN or slab-use-after-free errors related to siw_cm_work_handler.

Compensating Controls: If patching is not immediately feasible, restrict access to RDMA-enabled services using firewall rules to ensure only trusted internal traffic can reach the affected interfaces.

Public Exploit Available: Unknown

Given the critical CVSS severity and the low complexity of the attack vector, this vulnerability should be prioritized for immediate remediation. Administrators must verify their kernel versions and apply the specified patches or distribution-provided updates as soon as they become available to eliminate the risk of remote kernel exploitation.