CVE-2026-63985: Linux kernel · ethtool: eeprom: add more safeties to EEPROM Netlink fallback
Source GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High · fixed in fd0de51c54fa8474a0ddeedd71c65ad09fada390 : patch Linux kernel soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 13:47 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 2% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in fd0de51c54fa8474a0ddeedd71c65ad09fada390, d81376053a00865c70b8d8506a1cb93f2943d413, 65674d2489a12b8efd2ca0effb3de1d12224b596 +4
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 19 Jul 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
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AI-suggested
A fix has been implemented in the Linux kernel to add the missing offset plus length validation in the EEPROM Netlink fallback path and to zero-initialize buffers properly. Users should update to a Linux kernel version that includes this fix. Since this is a kernel vulnerability, applying the official kernel update from the vendor or distribution is the recommended remediation. Patch status is not explicitly confirmed here; check the vendor advisory or Linux kernel release notes for the exact fixed version.
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ethtool: eeprom: add more safeties to EEPROM Netlink fallback The Netlink fallback path for reading module EEPROM (fallback_set_params()) validates that offset < eeprom_len, but does not check that offset + length stays within eeprom_len. The ioctl equivalent (ethtool_get_any_eeprom() in ioctl.c) has always enforced both bounds: if (eeprom.offset + eeprom.len > total_len) return -EINVAL; This could lead to surprises in both drivers and device FW. Add the missing offset + length validation to fallback_set_params(), mirroring the ioctl. Similarly - ethtool core in general, and ethtool_get_any_eeprom() in particular tries to zero-init all buffers passed to the drivers to avoid any extra work of zeroing things out. eeprom_fallback() uses a plain kmalloc(), change it to zalloc.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-63985 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0e182689831277faf2ef683573a60474c208f690 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4fe1bc4b3603f621240d5b401742f302190db769 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/65674d2489a12b8efd2ca0effb3de1d12224b596 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/67cfdd9210b99f260b3e0afeb9525e0acc7be31e (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6ed7ebe22e9c3e3e946b6973c1ce43d3c38aeac1 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d81376053a00865c70b8d8506a1cb93f2943d413 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/fd0de51c54fa8474a0ddeedd71c65ad09fada390 (opens in a new tab)