Kernel memory consumption via leaked mount-source strings
Published Dec 16, 2025 · Updated Dec 16, 2025
Memory leak in the Linux kernel CIFS client allows local users to consume kernel memory through a failing source mount option. When smb3_fs_context_parse_param allocates ctx->source and duplicates it into fc->source, a later error jumps to cifs_parse_mount_err without freeing either string. Reaching the path requires CAP_SYS_ADMIN to submit CIFS mount options; repeated failures retain allocations and reduce available kernel memory.
Summary
What happened
Memory leak in the Linux kernel CIFS client allows local users to consume kernel memory through a failing source mount option. When smb3_fs_context_parse_param allocates ctx->source and duplicates it into fc->source, a later error jumps to cifs_parse_mount_err without freeing either string. Reaching the path requires CAP_SYS_ADMIN to submit CIFS mount options; repeated failures retain allocations and reduce available kernel memory.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-68219
- Published
- Dec 16, 2025
- Updated
- Dec 16, 2025
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- T1499.001
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
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?
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- Affected versionversion=24e0a1eff9e2b9835a6e7c17039dfb6ecfd81f1f <37010021d7e0341bb241ca00bcbae31f2c50b23f
- Affected versionversion=24e0a1eff9e2b9835a6e7c17039dfb6ecfd81f1f <48d69290270891f988e72edddd9688c20515421d
- Affected versionversion=24e0a1eff9e2b9835a6e7c17039dfb6ecfd81f1f <7627864dc3121f39e220f5253a227edf472de59e
- Affected versionversion=24e0a1eff9e2b9835a6e7c17039dfb6ecfd81f1f <7e4d9120cfa413dd34f4f434befc5dbe6c38b2e5
- Affected versionversion=5.11
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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