Linux: Out-of-bounds Read
CVE-2026-63985 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 0e182689831277faf2ef683573a60474c208f690, 6ed7ebe22e9c3e3e946b6973c1ce43d3c38aeac1, 65674d2489a12b8efd2ca0effb3de1d12224b596 as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.13% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Linux to 0e182689831277faf2ef683573a60474c208f690 or 6ed7ebe22e9c3e3e946b6973c1ce43d3c38aeac1 or 65674d2489a12b8efd2ca0effb3de1d12224b596 or d81376053a00865c70b8d8506a1cb93f2943d413, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update Linux Kernel to 5.15.210 or 6.1.176 or 6.6.143 or 6.12.93, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 96d971e307cc0e434f96329b42bbd98cfbca07d2 up to, but not including, 0e182689831277faf2ef683573a60474c208f690; 96d971e307cc0e434f96329b42bbd98cfbca07d2 up to, but not including, 6ed7ebe22e9c3e3e946b6973c1ce43d3c38aeac1; 96d971e307cc0e434f96329b42bbd98cfbca07d2 up to, but not including, 65674d2489a12b8efd2ca0effb3de1d12224b596; 96d971e307cc0e434f96329b42bbd98cfbca07d2 up to, but not including, d81376053a00865c70b8d8506a1cb93f2943d413; 96d971e307cc0e434f96329b42bbd98cfbca07d2 up to, but not including, fd0de51c54fa8474a0ddeedd71c65ad09fada390; 96d971e307cc0e434f96329b42bbd98cfbca07d2 up to, but not including, 4fe1bc4b3603f621240d5b401742f302190db769; 96d971e307cc0e434f96329b42bbd98cfbca07d2 up to, but not including, 67cfdd9210b99f260b3e0afeb9525e0acc7be31e; 5.13 | 0e182689831277faf2ef683573a60474c208f690, 6ed7ebe22e9c3e3e946b6973c1ce43d3c38aeac1, 65674d2489a12b8efd2ca0effb3de1d12224b596, d81376053a00865c70b8d8506a1cb93f2943d413, fd0de51c54fa8474a0ddeedd71c65ad09fada390, 4fe1bc4b3603f621240d5b401742f302190db769 |
| Linux | Linux Kernel | 5.13 up to, but not including, 5.15.210; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.176; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.143; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.12.93; 6.13 up to, but not including, 6.18.35; 6.19 up to, but not including, 7.0.12; 7.1 | 5.15.210, 6.1.176, 6.6.143, 6.12.93, 6.18.35, 7.0.12 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA.
Official 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.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Read
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a language that provides appropriate memory abstractions.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/0e182689831277faf2ef683573a60474c208f690
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/4fe1bc4b3603f621240d5b401742f302190db769
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/65674d2489a12b8efd2ca0effb3de1d12224b596
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/67cfdd9210b99f260b3e0afeb9525e0acc7be31e
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/6ed7ebe22e9c3e3e946b6973c1ce43d3c38aeac1
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/d81376053a00865c70b8d8506a1cb93f2943d413
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/fd0de51c54fa8474a0ddeedd71c65ad09fada390
Recent Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.