CVE-2025-68727Public exploit

Local denial of service via uninitialized directory entry

Published Dec 24, 2025 · Updated Dec 24, 2025

Uninitialized memory use in Linux kernel ntfs3 starting with 5.15 allows local users to cause denial of service during hard-link creation. In ntfs_link_inode(), __getname() returns an uncleared PATH_MAX buffer; fill_name_de() initializes the directory entry before ni_add_name() stores bytes later read by ntfs_read_hdr. The path requires permission to create a hard link on a writable ntfs3 volume; public evidence demonstrates the invalid read under KMSAN rather than documenting a production-kernel crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uninitialized memory use in Linux kernel ntfs3 starting with 5.15 allows local users to cause denial of service during hard-link creation. In ntfs_link_inode(), __getname() returns an uncleared PATH_MAX buffer; fill_name_de() initializes the directory entry before ni_add_name() stores bytes later read by ntfs_read_hdr. The path requires permission to create a hard link on a writable ntfs3 volume; public evidence demonstrates the invalid read under KMSAN rather than documenting a production-kernel crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-68727
Published
Dec 24, 2025
Updated
Dec 24, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 24, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 24, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=5.15
  2. Affected versionversion=78ab59fee07f22464f32eafebab2bd97ba94ff2d <4b1fd82848fdf0e01b3320815b261006c1722c3e
  3. Affected versionversion=78ab59fee07f22464f32eafebab2bd97ba94ff2d <9948dcb2f7b5a1bf8e8710eafaf6016e00be3ad6
  4. Affected versionversion=78ab59fee07f22464f32eafebab2bd97ba94ff2d <b40a4eb4a0543d49686a6e693745009dac3b86a9
  5. Affected versionversion=78ab59fee07f22464f32eafebab2bd97ba94ff2d <d88d4b455b6794f48d7adad52593f1700c7bd50e

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.15; version=78ab59fee07f22464f32eafebab2bd97ba94ff2d <4b1fd82848fdf0e01b3320815b261006c1722c3e; version=78ab59fee07f22464f32eafebab2bd97ba94ff2d <9948dcb2f7b5a1bf8e8710eafaf6016e00be3ad6; version=78ab59fee07f22464f32eafebab2bd97ba94ff2d <b40a4eb4a0543d49686a6e693745009dac3b86a9; version=78ab59fee07f22464f32eafebab2bd97ba94ff2d <d88d4b455b6794f48d7adad52593f1700c7bd50e

Published CVSS scores

5.5SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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