Kernel out-of-bounds access via undersized USB buffer
Published Dec 16, 2025 · Updated Dec 16, 2025
Out-of-bounds access in Linux 4.8 and later allows physically proximate attackers to trigger kernel-memory access via a malicious USB device. pegasus_probe allocates the URB transfer buffer from an attacker-controlled wMaxPacketSize, but pegasus_parse_packet processes patterned interrupt data without confirming that the allocated buffer is large enough. Physical USB attachment and a matching interrupt packet are required; the public record does not specify whether the access causes disclosure or a crash.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds access in Linux 4.8 and later allows physically proximate attackers to trigger kernel-memory access via a malicious USB device. pegasus_probe allocates the URB transfer buffer from an attacker-controlled wMaxPacketSize, but pegasus_parse_packet processes patterned interrupt data without confirming that the allocated buffer is large enough. Physical USB attachment and a matching interrupt packet are required; the public record does not specify whether the access causes disclosure or a crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-68217
- Published
- Dec 16, 2025
- Updated
- Dec 16, 2025
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1200
- Attack vector
- physical
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
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=1afca2b66aac7ac262d3511c68725e9e7053b40f <015b719962696b793997e8deefac019f816aca77
- Affected versionversion=1afca2b66aac7ac262d3511c68725e9e7053b40f <084264e10e2ae8938a54355123ad977eb9df56d6
- Affected versionversion=1afca2b66aac7ac262d3511c68725e9e7053b40f <36bc92b838ff72f62f2c17751a9013b29ead2513
- Affected versionversion=1afca2b66aac7ac262d3511c68725e9e7053b40f <69aeb507312306f73495598a055293fa749d454e
- Affected versionversion=1afca2b66aac7ac262d3511c68725e9e7053b40f <763c3f4d2394a697d14af1335d3bb42f05c9409f
- Affected versionversion=1afca2b66aac7ac262d3511c68725e9e7053b40f <9ab67eff6d654e34ba6da07c64761aa87c2a3c26
- Affected versionversion=1afca2b66aac7ac262d3511c68725e9e7053b40f <c4e746651bd74c38f581e1cf31651119a94de8cd
- Affected versionversion=1afca2b66aac7ac262d3511c68725e9e7053b40f <d344ea1baf1946c90f0cd6f9daeb5f3e0a0ca479
- Affected versionversion=4.8
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
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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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