CVE-2025-68795: Linux kernel · ethtool: Avoid overflowing userspace buffer on stats query The ethtool -S
Source GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 08:30 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 6% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
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 13 Jan 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
AI-suggested
A fix has been implemented in the Linux kernel ethtool code to prevent userspace buffer overflow by returning zero stats when a size mismatch is detected during stats queries. This fix does not eliminate the underlying race condition but prevents overflow and improves behavior predictability. Users should update to a Linux kernel version that includes this patch once available. Until then, be aware that transient no-output or zeroed stats may occur during ethtool -S queries but this is preferable to buffer overflow. Monitor vendor advisories for the official patch release and apply it promptly.
Description
A vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ethtool utility could cause a userspace buffer overflow during statistics queries if the number of stats changes between ioctl calls. This occurs because ethtool's -S command uses multiple ioctl calls to retrieve stats size, names, and values, and dynamic stat counters in some drivers can cause mismatches leading to incorrect buffer allocation. The issue has been addressed by modifying ethtool functions to return zero stats when a size mismatch is detected, preventing buffer overflow and resulting in either no stats output or all-zero stats temporarily. This fix does not eliminate the underlying race condition but prevents overflow and improves behavior predictability.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-68795 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3df375a1e75483b7d973c3cc2e46aa374db8428b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4066b5b546293f44cd6d0e84ece6e3ee7ff27093 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4afcb985355210e1688560dc47e64b94dad35d71 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/7b07be1ff1cb6c49869910518650e8d0abc7d25f (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/7bea09f60f2ad5d232e2db8f1c14e850fd3fd416 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ca9983bc3a1189bd72f9ae449d925a66b2616326 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f9dc0f45d2cd0189ce666288a29d2cc32c2e44d5 (opens in a new tab)