Kernel memory corruption via SLIP buffer race
Published Aug 10, 2026 · Updated Aug 10, 2026
An out-of-bounds write in the Linux kernel SLIP driver allows local users to corrupt kernel memory by racing an MTU change with receive processing. slip_receive_buf() reads rbuff and buffsize without the lock held by sl_realloc_bufs(), permitting writes past a shrunken buffer or into freed storage. Exploitation requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in the interface network namespace and an active SLIP link; the resulting corruption crashes the kernel or enables local privilege escalation.
Summary
What happened
An out-of-bounds write in the Linux kernel SLIP driver allows local users to corrupt kernel memory by racing an MTU change with receive processing. slip_receive_buf() reads rbuff and buffsize without the lock held by sl_realloc_bufs(), permitting writes past a shrunken buffer or into freed storage. Exploitation requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in the interface network namespace and an active SLIP link; the resulting corruption crashes the kernel or enables local privilege escalation.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-68143
- Published
- Aug 10, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 10, 2026
- Vendor
- The Linux Kernel Organization
- Product
- Linux
- Classifications
- CWE-787, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 10, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 10, 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 <0e37bbd6d617eb52bace49390e99eaedc1af73ce
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <44401f7dd9940ced7098930ef64f5a332f279fc2
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <5d07b178bef511d69558cfc89fe1129258dc39f8
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <eb3836eab47487823f362e6985e170a1e15f20fd
- Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <ee7f9bb9320add61f7b367d7e6cd55e3a3a4d65d
- Affected versionversion=2.6.12
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
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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