In the Linux kernel, misuse of the ipgre_header() function can lead to a memory corruption that triggers a kernel panic. The defect originates from insufficient validation of the packet header size when network team or bonding drivers dynamically adjust device headroom. When a too‑small socket buffer is allocated, the kernel fails during packet processing, resulting in a crash. The flaw can be exploited to bring down a system, providing a denial‑of‑service condition for attackers who can invoke the vulnerable code path.

The issue affects all Linux kernel builds that include the unpatched ip_gre implementation, spanning versions from 3.10 through the 6.19 release candidates. The vendor list states Linux:Linux, so any distribution using these kernel series is potentially impacted until the fix is incorporated. Distribution maintainers have presumably applied the security commit in recent releases, but old kernels or unmaintained distributions remain vulnerable.

The severity is moderate with a CVSS base score of 5.5, and the EPSS probability is less than 1 %, indicating a low likelihood of active exploitation at the time of analysis. The flaw is not listed in CISA's KEV catalog, suggesting no known widespread attacks. The attack vector is inferred to be local or through privileged network interfaces, as exploitation requires the attacker to trigger GRE packet handling on a team or bonded device. Absence of an attack diagram means we assume the exploit would involve crafting packets or manipulating interface settings to trigger the crash.