Linux Kernel Synopsys DWC Ethernet Driver Tegra194 Split Header Handling Vulnerability

A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's handling of the Synopsys DWC Ethernet driver for Tegra194 has been addressed. The issue arises from the split header feature in the stmmac driver, which, when enabled, can lead to buffer length overflows. This overflow causes the kernel to crash, with the exact reason for the oversized buffer length remaining unclear. Feedback from the NVIDIA design team indicates that the split header feature is not supported on Tegra194. To mitigate this issue, split header support has been disabled for Tegra194, preventing the random system crashes that were previously observed.

Impact

Enabling the split header feature in the Synopsys DWC Ethernet driver for Tegra194 can lead to buffer length overflows, causing random system crashes.