Linux: Out-of-bounds Read
CVE-2026-68343 is a critical-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions bfebe5110fd135d86d65a0a346e14c106b02028b, 5b439f39f33ec15d319ced3b025e122346fba987, 285bd4a5f3f156aa5869843b47a1b1380b774241 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 0.51% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update Linux to bfebe5110fd135d86d65a0a346e14c106b02028b or 5b439f39f33ec15d319ced3b025e122346fba987 or 285bd4a5f3f156aa5869843b47a1b1380b774241 or 2fdd6d196c656b376cc251e1e9ff110b3ed522e1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 4ecce920e13ace16a5ba45efe8909946c28fb2ad up to, but not including, bfebe5110fd135d86d65a0a346e14c106b02028b; 4ecce920e13ace16a5ba45efe8909946c28fb2ad up to, but not including, 5b439f39f33ec15d319ced3b025e122346fba987; 4ecce920e13ace16a5ba45efe8909946c28fb2ad up to, but not including, 285bd4a5f3f156aa5869843b47a1b1380b774241; 4ecce920e13ace16a5ba45efe8909946c28fb2ad up to, but not including, 2fdd6d196c656b376cc251e1e9ff110b3ed522e1; 4ecce920e13ace16a5ba45efe8909946c28fb2ad up to, but not including, 9f88a99ed511651b2dc2177d6854b2d1b8322e75; 4ecce920e13ace16a5ba45efe8909946c28fb2ad up to, but not including, f6f5ee2aa33b350c671721b965251c42cebb962e; 4.11 | bfebe5110fd135d86d65a0a346e14c106b02028b, 5b439f39f33ec15d319ced3b025e122346fba987, 285bd4a5f3f156aa5869843b47a1b1380b774241, 2fdd6d196c656b376cc251e1e9ff110b3ed522e1, 9f88a99ed511651b2dc2177d6854b2d1b8322e75, f6f5ee2aa33b350c671721b965251c42cebb962e |
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
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- 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
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H. Scored by CNA.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: smb: client: validate DFS referral PathConsumed parse_dfs_referrals() validates that the response contains the fixed referral entry array and, on for-next, the per-referral string offsets. However, the response also contains a PathConsumed value that is later used for DFS path parsing. If a malformed response provides a PathConsumed value larger than the search name, later DFS parsing can advance beyond the end of the path. Validate PathConsumed against the search name length before storing it in the parsed referral.
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: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/285bd4a5f3f156aa5869843b47a1b1380b774241
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/2fdd6d196c656b376cc251e1e9ff110b3ed522e1
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/5b439f39f33ec15d319ced3b025e122346fba987
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/9f88a99ed511651b2dc2177d6854b2d1b8322e75
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/bfebe5110fd135d86d65a0a346e14c106b02028b
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/f6f5ee2aa33b350c671721b965251c42cebb962e
Recent Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities
- 7.1 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 8.3 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
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