CVE-2025-23351 Overview
CVE-2025-23351 affects NVIDIA ConnectX and BlueField networking products. The vulnerability resides in the device command interface, where a local user with virtual function (VF) access can trigger an out-of-bounds write by supplying crafted input. Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution on the affected device.
The flaw is tracked under CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write) and requires adjacent network access with low privileges. Because the impacted components handle high-throughput network traffic in virtualized and data center environments, code execution on the device can compromise workloads sharing the same hardware.
Critical Impact
A local user with VF access can achieve arbitrary code execution on NVIDIA ConnectX and BlueField devices, crossing tenant and privilege boundaries in shared infrastructure.
Affected Products
- NVIDIA ConnectX network adapters
- NVIDIA BlueField data processing units (DPUs)
- Deployments exposing virtual functions (VFs) to guest tenants or unprivileged users
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-07-01 - CVE-2025-23351 published to NVD
- 2026-07-01 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-23351
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability exists in the command interface exposed by ConnectX and BlueField adapters to their virtual functions. SR-IOV virtual functions allow guests or unprivileged processes to submit commands to the network device directly. The command handler fails to validate the size or bounds of attacker-controlled input, allowing a write past the end of an intended buffer.
Out-of-bounds writes in device firmware or command processing paths can overwrite adjacent memory structures, control fields, or function pointers. Attackers can leverage the primitive to redirect execution flow and run arbitrary code within the device context. Because BlueField DPUs and ConnectX adapters process traffic for multiple tenants, the scope change reflected in the CVSS vector (S:C) indicates the exploit can affect resources beyond the attacker's authorization boundary.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing or insufficient validation of user-supplied input in the VF command interface. The device accepts crafted parameters that cause an operation to write beyond an allocated buffer, matching the CWE-787 pattern.
Attack Vector
An attacker requires local access to a virtual function on the affected adapter. This typically means running code inside a guest VM, container, or user context that has been assigned an SR-IOV VF. From that position, the attacker submits a crafted command to the device. No user interaction is required, and the attack completes with low complexity.
The vulnerability mechanism is described in prose only. NVIDIA has not published proof-of-concept code, and no verified exploit examples are available. Refer to the NVIDIA product security advisory for vendor technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-23351
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected firmware crashes, resets, or command-timeout events reported by ConnectX or BlueField drivers in host dmesg or mlx5_core logs
- Abnormal command completion queue (CQ) entries or malformed command mailbox activity from VFs
- Guest workloads with SR-IOV VF assignments generating repeated device command errors
Detection Strategies
- Monitor kernel logs on hypervisors for mlx5_core error events, health buffer syndromes, and unexpected VF resets
- Baseline the volume and type of firmware commands issued by each VF; alert on deviations or unusual opcodes
- Correlate device errors with the identity of the tenant or process owning the associated VF
Monitoring Recommendations
- Ingest hypervisor host logs, NIC driver telemetry, and BMC events into a centralized analytics platform for correlation
- Track firmware version inventory across ConnectX and BlueField devices to identify unpatched hardware
- Enable audit logging on VF assignment operations to attribute suspicious command activity to specific tenants
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-23351
Immediate Actions Required
- Inventory all hosts using NVIDIA ConnectX adapters and BlueField DPUs, including firmware versions
- Apply the firmware update published in the NVIDIA product security bulletin as soon as it is available for your model
- Restrict SR-IOV VF assignment to trusted workloads until patched firmware is deployed
Patch Information
NVIDIA has published a security bulletin for this issue at NVIDIA product-security repository 5699. Consult the vendor advisory for the specific firmware versions that remediate CVE-2025-23351 on each ConnectX and BlueField model. Additional record details are available at the NVD entry for CVE-2025-23351 and the CVE.org record.
Workarounds
- Disable SR-IOV and avoid exposing virtual functions to untrusted guests where operationally feasible
- Limit VF access to workloads and administrators that already hold equivalent privileges on the host
- Segment tenants that require VF access onto dedicated hosts to contain the blast radius of exploitation
# Example: verify installed firmware version on Mellanox/NVIDIA adapters
sudo mlxfwmanager --query
# Example: disable SR-IOV VFs on a given PF as a temporary containment measure
echo 0 | sudo tee /sys/class/net/<pf_interface>/device/sriov_numvfs
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
