Local kernel memory corruption via debugfs pointer misuse
Published Dec 16, 2025 · Updated Dec 16, 2025
Invalid pointer access in Linux kernel gpiolib allows local users to corrupt kernel memory by reading the GPIO debugfs file. When gpiolib_seq_start() cannot allocate memory, it leaves s->private uninitialized, and gpiolib_seq_stop() later dereferences or frees that invalid pointer. Exploitation requires mounted, traversable debugfs and induced memory pressure; repeated reads can disclose or overwrite kernel memory or panic the system.
Summary
What happened
Invalid pointer access in Linux kernel gpiolib allows local users to corrupt kernel memory by reading the GPIO debugfs file. When gpiolib_seq_start() cannot allocate memory, it leaves s->private uninitialized, and gpiolib_seq_stop() later dereferences or frees that invalid pointer. Exploitation requires mounted, traversable debugfs and induced memory pressure; repeated reads can disclose or overwrite kernel memory or panic the system.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-68167
- Published
- Dec 16, 2025
- Updated
- Dec 16, 2025
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 16, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Dec 16, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=6.9
- Affected versionversion=e348544f7994d252427ed3ae637c7081cbb90f66 <2f6115ad8864cf3f48598f26c74c7c8e5c391919
- Affected versionversion=e348544f7994d252427ed3ae637c7081cbb90f66 <3c91c8f424d3e44c8645ab765a38773e58afb07d
- Affected versionversion=e348544f7994d252427ed3ae637c7081cbb90f66 <70180a6031056096c93ed2f47c41803268bdd91c
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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