The flaw in the Linux kernel’s Open vSwitch module can cause a kernel memory corruption when a reply socket buffer is incorrectly freed after a failed allocation. The issue arises because the cleanup code assumes the buffer was allocated and thus attempts to free a pointer that may actually be an error code. This invalid free can lead to a kernel crash or denial of service if executed.

The vulnerability applies to the Open vSwitch component of the Linux kernel. All kernel releases that contain the unpatched Open vSwitch code are potentially affected; specific version ranges are not listed in the advisory and therefore all affected kernels should be considered vulnerable until the patch is applied.

The CVSS base score of 5.5 indicates a moderate severity, but the EPSS score of less than 1% suggests a low likelihood of exploitation in the general population. The vulnerability is not listed in CISA’s KEV catalog. Based on the description, it is unclear whether privileged access or a specific attack vector is required; the flaw involves a kernel memory corruption that could be triggered by a failure during packet handling in Open vSwitch.