Kernel-memory exhaustion via leaked NET/ROM skbs
Published Jan 13, 2026 · Updated Jan 13, 2026
Memory leak in the Linux kernel NET/ROM stack allows attackers to consume kernel memory by repeatedly sending NET/ROM socket messages. When sock_alloc_send_skb() fails in nr_output(), the error path returns without freeing the original skb allocated by nr_sendmsg(). Reachability requires NET/ROM support and the allocation-failure path; repeated triggering produces progressive kernel-memory loss and eventual service interruption.
Summary
What happened
Memory leak in the Linux kernel NET/ROM stack allows attackers to consume kernel memory by repeatedly sending NET/ROM socket messages. When sock_alloc_send_skb() fails in nr_output(), the error path returns without freeing the original skb allocated by nr_sendmsg(). Reachability requires NET/ROM support and the allocation-failure path; repeated triggering produces progressive kernel-memory loss and eventual service interruption.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-68787
- Published
- Jan 13, 2026
- Updated
- Jan 13, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux Kernel
- Classifications
- T1499
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 13, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jan 13, 2026Record 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=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <156a0f6341dce634a825db49ca20b48b1ae9bcc1
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <51f5fbc1681bdcffcc7d18bf3dfdb2b1278d3977
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <613d12dd794e078be8ff3cf6b62a6b9acf7f4619
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <73839497bbde5cd4fd02bbd9c8bc2640780ae65d
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <8d1ccba4b171cd504ecfa47349cb9864fc9d687c
- Affected versionversion=2.6.12
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
No CVSS assessment is available in this record.
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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