Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2025-68263, CVSS 9.8)

Summary

Vulnerability in Linux kernel (CVE-2025-68263). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.

Original description

The description as published by the source.

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ksmbd: ipc: fix use-after-free in ipc_msg_send_request

ipc_msg_send_request() waits for a generic netlink reply using an
ipc_msg_table_entry on the stack. The generic netlink handler
(handle_generic_event()/handle_response()) fills entry->response under
ipc_msg_table_lock, but ipc_msg_send_request() used to validate and free
entry->response without holding the same lock.

Under high concurrency this allows a race where handle_response() is
copying data into entry->response while ipc_msg_send_request() has just
freed it, leading to a slab-use-after-free reported by KASAN in
handle_generic_event():

BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in handle_generic_event+0x3c4/0x5f0 [ksmbd]
Write of size 12 at addr ffff888198ee6e20 by task pool/109349
...
Freed by task:
kvfree
ipc_msg_send_request [ksmbd]
ksmbd_rpc_open -> ksmbd_session_rpc_open [ksmbd]

Fix by:

Taking ipc_msg_table_lock in ipc_msg_send_request() while validating
entry->response, freeing it when invalid, and removing the entry from
ipc_msg_table.
Returning the final entry->response pointer to the caller only after
the hash entry is removed under the lock.
Returning NULL in the error path, preserving the original API
semantics.

This makes all accesses to entry->response consistent with
handle_response(), which already updates and fills the response buffer
under ipc_msg_table_lock, and closes the race that allowed the UAF.

Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database NVD

Auto-generated summary

Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.

A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2025-68263 has been found in Linux kernel.
Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. CVSS score: 9.8/10.
What to do: apply the vendor's official patched release.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "Linux kernel CVE-2025-68263" on the vendor's site.

CVE-2025-68263 (Linux kernel) — CVSS v3 9.8
Attack vector: remote (network-reachable) / unauthenticated / no user interaction
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.

❓ What is the problem

A vulnerability (unclassified) exists in Linux kernel.

📍 Affected scope

Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of Linux kernel.

🔥 Severity

Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.8/10). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.

🔧 How to fix

Update to the patched release per vendor advisory.

🛡️ Workaround

Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.

🔍 Detection

Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Audit SBOM/dependencies to find affected services.

Response actions

Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order

1
Identify exposure identify
```
Audit SBOM/dependencies for affected components.
```
資産台帳・SBOM・依存マニフェストで Linux kernel を使っているサービスとバージョンを洗い出す。
2
Post-deployment verification verify
```
Confirm patched version is live in production
```
パッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。

Fix status by distribution

Fixed packages published by each distribution for this CVE

BellSoft Alpaquita BELL-CVE-2025-68263 linux-lts Fixed in: 6.1.161-r0
Debian DEBIAN-CVE-2025-68263 linux Fixed in: 6.1.162-1
Ubuntu UBUNTU-CVE-2025-68263 linux