CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-68206NVD status: Received

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: media: v4l2-ctrls…

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-68206 is a high-severity improper input validation 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 3299c3905f3fb439ebd892658b87bc76c93ae116, 9a998cc1c348769262d433acb7d238c5fac4b2e0, dbaf0e0023e2f9332c5164822def7f80b7d2c5ef 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 0.18% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to 3299c3905f3fb439ebd892658b87bc76c93ae116 or 9a998cc1c348769262d433acb7d238c5fac4b2e0 or dbaf0e0023e2f9332c5164822def7f80b7d2c5ef or 3068ab802fc98b121dcb451e1f7f4d338ffc7a19, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinuxd395a78db9eabd12633b39e05c80e803543b6590 up to, but not including, 3299c3905f3fb439ebd892658b87bc76c93ae116; d395a78db9eabd12633b39e05c80e803543b6590 up to, but not including, 9a998cc1c348769262d433acb7d238c5fac4b2e0; d395a78db9eabd12633b39e05c80e803543b6590 up to, but not including, dbaf0e0023e2f9332c5164822def7f80b7d2c5ef; d395a78db9eabd12633b39e05c80e803543b6590 up to, but not including, 3068ab802fc98b121dcb451e1f7f4d338ffc7a19; d395a78db9eabd12633b39e05c80e803543b6590 up to, but not including, b01df98a6669d2b67d8aed816021b327fd905998; d395a78db9eabd12633b39e05c80e803543b6590 up to, but not including, afbe4bc252d90a6f8fad869b06d5430f615f22f9; 5.143299c3905f3fb439ebd892658b87bc76c93ae116, 9a998cc1c348769262d433acb7d238c5fac4b2e0, dbaf0e0023e2f9332c5164822def7f80b7d2c5ef, 3068ab802fc98b121dcb451e1f7f4d338ffc7a19, b01df98a6669d2b67d8aed816021b327fd905998, afbe4bc252d90a6f8fad869b06d5430f615f22f9

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: media: v4l2-ctrls: validate HEVC active reference counts HEVC slice parameters are shared stateless V4L2 controls, but the common validation path does not verify the active L0/L1 reference counts before driver-specific code consumes them. The original report came from Cedrus, but the active count bounds are not Cedrus-specific. Validate them in the common HEVC slice control path so stateless HEVC drivers get the same basic guarantees as soon as the control is queued. Do not reject ref_idx_l0/ref_idx_l1 entries here. Existing userspace may use out-of-range sentinel values such as 0xff for missing references, and some hardware can use that information for concealment. Keep this common check limited to the active reference counts.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Input Validation

The product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Consider using language-theoretic security (LangSec) techniques that characterize inputs using a formal language and build recognizers for that language. This effectively requires parsing to be a distinct layer that effectively enforces a boundary between raw input and internal data representations, instead of allowing parser code to be scattered throughout the program, where it could be subject to errors or inconsistencies that create weaknesses.
  • Use an input validation framework such as Struts or the OWASP ESAPI Validation API. Note that using a framework does not automatically address all input validation problems; be mindful of weaknesses that could arise from misusing the framework itself (CWE-1173).
  • Understand all the potential areas where untrusted inputs can enter the product, including but not limited to: parameters or arguments, cookies, anything read from the network, environment variables, reverse DNS lookups, query results, request headers, URL components, e-mail, files, filenames, databases, and any external systems that provide data to the application. Remember that such inputs may be obtained indirectly through API calls.

More Improper Input Validation vulnerabilities (CWE-20)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Improper Input Validation vulnerabilities

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