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High · 7.8 CVE-2025-68795 EUVD-2026-2294GHSA-fv49-mrx3-2jvj

ethtool: Avoid overflowing userspace buffer on stats query

Published Jan 13, 2026 · Updated Oct 19, 2026 · Assigned by Linux

Vendor: Linux Product: Linux Package: kernel Package: linux Package: linux Package: linux-allwinner-5.19 Package: linux-aws Package: linux-aws-5.0 Package: linux-aws-5.11 Package: linux-aws-5.13 Package: linux-aws-5.15 Package: linux-aws-5.19 Package: linux-aws-5.3 Package: linux-aws-5.4 Package: linux-aws-5.8 Package: linux-aws-6.14 Package: linux-aws-6.17 Package: linux-aws-6.2 Package: linux-aws-6.5 Package: linux-aws-6.8 Package: linux-aws-fips Package: linux-aws-hwe Package: linux-azure Package: linux-azure-4.15 Package: linux-azure-5.11 Package: linux-azure-5.13 Package: linux-azure-5.15 Package: linux-azure-5.19 Package: linux-azure-5.3 Package: linux-azure-5.4 Package: linux-azure-5.8 Package: linux-azure-6.11 Package: linux-azure-6.14 Package: linux-azure-6.17 Package: linux-azure-6.2 Package: linux-azure-6.5 Package: linux-azure-6.8 Package: linux-azure-edge Package: linux-azure-fde Package: linux-azure-fde-5.19 Package: linux-azure-fde-6.14 Package: linux-azure-fde-6.2 Package: linux-azure-fde-6.8 Package: linux-azure-fips Package: linux-azure-nvidia Package: linux-azure-nvidia-6.14 Package: linux-bluefield Package: linux-fips Package: linux-gcp Package: linux-gcp-4.15 Package: linux-gcp-5.11 Package: linux-gcp-5.13 Package: linux-gcp-5.15 Package: linux-gcp-5.19 Package: linux-gcp-5.3 Package: linux-gcp-5.4 Package: linux-gcp-5.8 Package: linux-gcp-6.11 Package: linux-gcp-6.14 Package: linux-gcp-6.17 Package: linux-gcp-6.2 Package: linux-gcp-6.5 Package: linux-gcp-6.8 Package: linux-gcp-fips Package: linux-gke Package: linux-gke-4.15 Package: linux-gke-5.15 Package: linux-gke-5.4 Package: linux-gkeop Package: linux-gkeop-5.15 Package: linux-gkeop-5.4 Package: linux-hwe Package: linux-hwe-5.11 Package: linux-hwe-5.13 Package: linux-hwe-5.15 Package: linux-hwe-5.19 Package: linux-hwe-5.4 Package: linux-hwe-5.8 Package: linux-hwe-6.11 Package: linux-hwe-6.14 Package: linux-hwe-6.17 Package: linux-hwe-6.2 Package: linux-hwe-6.5 Package: linux-hwe-6.8 Package: linux-hwe-edge Package: linux-ibm Package: linux-ibm-5.15 Package: linux-ibm-5.4 Package: linux-ibm-6.8 Package: linux-intel-5.13 Package: linux-intel-iot-realtime Package: linux-intel-iotg Package: linux-intel-iotg-5.15 Package: linux-iot Package: linux-kvm Package: linux-lowlatency Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 Package: linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 Package: linux-lts-xenial Package: linux-nvidia Package: linux-nvidia-6.11 Package: linux-nvidia-6.17 Package: linux-nvidia-6.2 Package: linux-nvidia-6.5 Package: linux-nvidia-6.8 Package: linux-nvidia-lowlatency Package: linux-nvidia-tegra Package: linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 Package: linux-nvidia-tegra-igx Package: linux-oem Package: linux-oem-5.10 Package: linux-oem-5.13 Package: linux-oem-5.14 Package: linux-oem-5.17 Package: linux-oem-5.6 Package: linux-oem-6.0 Package: linux-oem-6.1 Package: linux-oem-6.11 Package: linux-oem-6.14 Package: linux-oem-6.17 Package: linux-oem-6.5 Package: linux-oem-6.8 Package: linux-oracle Package: linux-oracle-5.0 Package: linux-oracle-5.11 Package: linux-oracle-5.13 Package: linux-oracle-5.15 Package: linux-oracle-5.3 Package: linux-oracle-5.4 Package: linux-oracle-5.8 Package: linux-oracle-6.14 Package: linux-oracle-6.17 Package: linux-oracle-6.5 Package: linux-oracle-6.8 Package: linux-raspi Package: linux-raspi-5.4 Package: linux-raspi-realtime Package: linux-raspi2 Package: linux-realtime Package: linux-realtime-6.14 Package: linux-realtime-6.17 Package: linux-realtime-6.8 Package: linux-riscv Package: linux-riscv-5.11 Package: linux-riscv-5.15 Package: linux-riscv-5.19 Package: linux-riscv-5.8 Package: linux-riscv-6.14 Package: linux-riscv-6.17 Package: linux-riscv-6.5 Package: linux-riscv-6.8 Package: linux-starfive-5.19 Package: linux-starfive-6.2 Package: linux-starfive-6.5 Package: linux-vmware Package: linux-xilinx Package: linux-xilinx-zynqmp Platform: Linux Ecosystem: Azure Linux Ecosystem: Debian Ecosystem: Ubuntu

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ethtool: Avoid overflowing userspace buffer on stats query

The ethtool -S command operates across three ioctl calls:
ETHTOOL_GSSET_INFO for the size, ETHTOOL_GSTRINGS for the names, and
ETHTOOL_GSTATS for the values.

If the number of stats changes between these calls (e.g., due to device
reconfiguration), userspace's buffer allocation will be incorrect,
potentially leading to buffer overflow.

Drivers are generally expected to maintain stable stat counts, but some
drivers (e.g., mlx5, bnx2x, bna, ksz884x) use dynamic counters, making
this scenario possible.

Some drivers try to handle this internally:
- bnad_get_ethtool_stats() returns early in case stats.n_stats is not
equal to the driver's stats count.
- micrel/ksz884x also makes sure not to write anything beyond
stats.n_stats and overflow the buffer.

However, both use stats.n_stats which is already assigned with the value
returned from get_sset_count(), hence won't solve the issue described
here.

Change ethtool_get_strings(), ethtool_get_stats(),
ethtool_get_phy_stats() to not return anything in case of a mismatch
between userspace's size and get_sset_size(), to prevent buffer
overflow.
The returned n_stats value will be equal to zero, to reflect that
nothing has been returned.

This could result in one of two cases when using upstream ethtool,
depending on when the size change is detected:
1. When detected in ethtool_get_strings():
# ethtool -S eth2
no stats available

2. When detected in get stats, all stats will be reported as zero.

Both cases are presumably transient, and a subsequent ethtool call
should succeed.

Other than the overflow avoidance, these two cases are very evident (no
output/cleared stats), which is arguably better than presenting
incorrect/shifted stats.
I also considered returning an error instead of a "silent" response, but
that seems more destructive towards userspace apps.

Notes:
- This patch does not claim to fix the inherent race, it only makes sure
that we do not overflow the userspace buffer, and makes for a more
predictable behavior.

- RTNL lock is held during each ioctl, the race window exists between
the separate ioctl calls when the lock is released.

- Userspace ethtool always fills stats.n_stats, but it is likely that
these stats ioctls are implemented in other userspace applications
which might not fill it. The added code checks that it's not zero,
to prevent any regressions.

Affected products

VendorProductAffectedFixed
Linux Linux 2.6.12 5.10.248

Fixed in Linux distributions

Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian 14 linux 6.18.3-1 —
Debian 13 linux 6.12.69-1 DSA-6126-1
Debian 12 linux 6.1.162-1 DSA-6127-1
Debian 11 linux 5.10.249-1 DLA-4475-1
Debian 11 linux-6.1 6.1.162-1~deb11u1 DLA-4476-1
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu Nvidia-BlueField 24.04 LTS linux-bluefield 6.8.0-1017.21 —
Ubuntu Nvidia-BlueField 22.04 LTS linux-bluefield 5.15.0-1086.88 —
Ubuntu 25.10 linux 6.17.0-22.22 USN-8177-1
Ubuntu 25.10 linux-aws +1 6.17.0-1012.12 USN-8183-2, USN-8183-1
Ubuntu 25.10 linux-azure +1 6.17.0-1013.13 USN-8245-1
Ubuntu 25.10 linux-azure-fde No fix yet —
Ubuntu 25.10 linux-oracle 6.17.0-1011.11 USN-8183-2
Ubuntu 25.10 linux-realtime 6.17.0-1010.11 USN-8177-1
Ubuntu 25.10 linux-riscv 6.17.0-22.22.1 —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux 6.8.0-110.110 USN-8179-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-aws 6.8.0-1052.55 USN-8179-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-aws-6.17 +1 6.17.0-1012.12~24.04.1 USN-8183-2, USN-8183-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-azure 6.8.0-1054.60 USN-8258-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-azure-6.17 6.17.0-1013.13~24.04.1 USN-8245-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-azure-fde 6.8.0-1058.65 —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-azure-nvidia 6.8.0-1039.42 —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-gcp 6.8.0-1054.57 USN-8179-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-gke 6.8.0-1050.56 USN-8179-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-gkeop 6.8.0-1037.40 USN-8179-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-hwe-6.17 6.17.0-22.22~24.04.1 USN-8183-2
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-ibm 6.8.0-1051.51 USN-8179-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-lowlatency 6.8.0-110.110.1 USN-8179-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-nvidia 6.8.0-1051.54 USN-8185-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-nvidia-6.17 6.17.0-1018.18 —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-nvidia-lowlatency 6.8.0-1051.54.1 USN-8185-2
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra 6.8.0-1022.22 USN-8265-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-oem-6.17 6.17.0-1020.20 USN-8245-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-oracle 6.8.0-1049.50 USN-8203-1
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-oracle-6.17 6.17.0-1011.11~24.04.1 USN-8183-2
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-raspi 6.8.0-1052.56 USN-8179-3
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-riscv +18 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-riscv-6.17 6.17.0-22.22.1~24.04.1 —
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS linux-xilinx 6.8.0-1028.29 USN-8261-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux +1 5.15.0-173.183 USN-8096-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-aws 5.15.0-1103.110 USN-8096-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-aws-6.8 6.8.0-1052.55~22.04.1 USN-8179-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure 5.15.0-1109.118 USN-8163-2
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure-6.8 6.8.0-1059.65~22.04.1 USN-8440-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure-fde 5.15.0-1109.118.1 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-azure-fde-6.8 6.8.0-1058.65~22.04.1 —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gcp 5.15.0-1103.112 USN-8096-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gcp-6.8 6.8.0-1054.57~22.04.1 USN-8179-4
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gke 5.15.0-1099.105 USN-8096-3
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-gkeop 5.15.0-1086.94 USN-8096-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-hwe-6.8 +1 6.8.0-110.110~22.04.1 USN-8179-3
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-ibm +1 5.15.0-1097.100 USN-8141-1, USN-8096-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-ibm-6.8 6.8.0-1051.51~22.04.1 USN-8179-3
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-intel-iotg 5.15.0-1098.104 USN-8096-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-kvm 5.15.0-1095.100 USN-8096-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 6.8.0-110.110.1~22.04.1 USN-8179-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-nvidia 5.15.0-1098.99 USN-8096-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-nvidia-6.8 6.8.0-1051.54~22.04.1 USN-8185-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra 5.15.0-1055.55 USN-8096-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra-igx 5.15.0-1044.44 USN-8096-5
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-oracle 5.15.0-1100.106 USN-8096-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-oracle-6.8 6.8.0-1049.50~22.04.1 USN-8203-1
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-riscv +32 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS linux-xilinx-zynqmp 5.15.0-1067.71 USN-8096-1
Show 18 more (older releases, extended support, other products)
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS linux-gke +28 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 18.04 LTS linux-gcp +14 No fix yet —
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS linux-hwe-edge No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS linux-raspi-realtime 6.8.0-2042.43 USN-8204-1
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS linux-realtime 6.8.1-1047.48 USN-8184-1
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS linux-realtime-6.14 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS linux-realtime-6.17 6.17.0-1010.11~24.04.1 USN-8177-2
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS linux-intel-iot-realtime 5.15.0-1094.96 USN-8116-1
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS linux-realtime 5.15.0-1102.111 USN-8096-4
Ubuntu Pro Realtime 22.04 LTS linux-realtime-6.8 6.8.1-1047.48~22.04.1 USN-8184-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS 20.04 LTS linux-fips +3 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS 18.04 LTS linux-fips +3 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS 16.04 LTS linux-fips No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS linux-aws-fips 6.8.0-1052.55+fips1 USN-8179-2
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS linux-azure-fips 6.8.0-1053.59+fips1 —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS linux-fips 6.8.0-110.110+fips2 USN-8179-2
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 24.04 LTS linux-gcp-fips 6.8.0-1054.57+fips1 USN-8179-2
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 22.04 LTS linux-aws-fips 5.15.0-1103.110+fips1 USN-8096-2
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 22.04 LTS linux-azure-fips 5.15.0-1109.118+fips1 USN-8163-1
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 22.04 LTS linux-fips 5.15.0-173.183+fips1 USN-8096-2
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 22.04 LTS linux-gcp-fips 5.15.0-1103.112+fips1 USN-8096-2
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 20.04 LTS linux-fips +3 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 18.04 LTS linux-fips +3 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 16.04 LTS linux-fips No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro FIPS-preview 22.04 LTS linux-fips +3 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux +10 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-aws-5.15 5.15.0-1103.110~20.04.1 USN-8096-3
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-azure-5.15 5.15.0-1110.119~20.04.1 USN-8243-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-gcp-5.15 5.15.0-1103.112~20.04.1 USN-8096-3
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-hwe-5.15 +1 5.15.0-173.183~20.04.1 USN-8096-3
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-ibm-5.15 5.15.0-1097.100~20.04.1 USN-8096-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-intel-iotg-5.15 5.15.0-1098.104~20.04.1 USN-8096-3
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-nvidia-tegra-5.15 5.15.0-1055.55~20.04.1 USN-8096-1
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-oracle-5.15 5.15.0-1100.106~20.04.1 USN-8096-3
Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS linux-riscv-5.15 5.15.0-1097.101~20.04.1 —
Ubuntu Pro 18.04 LTS linux +12 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS linux +7 No fix yet —
Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS linux +3 No fix yet —
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
SLES 15 SP7 kernel-64kb +6 6.4.0-150700.53.31.1 SUSE-SU-2026:0447-1
SLES 15 SP7 kernel-azure +2 6.4.0-150700.20.27.1 SUSE-SU-2026:0472-1
SLES 15 SP7 kernel-default-base 6.4.0-150700.53.31.1.150700.17.21.1 SUSE-SU-2026:0447-1
SLES 12 SP5 kernel-syms +2 4.12.14-122.293.1 SUSE-SU-2026:0473-1
Show 8 more (older releases, extended support, other products)
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
SLES for SAP 16.0 kernel-64kb +8 6.12.0-160000.26.1 SUSE-SU-2026:20599-1
SLES for SAP 16.0 kernel-default-base 6.12.0-160000.26.1.160000.2.7 SUSE-SU-2026:20599-1
SLES 16.0 kernel-64kb +8 6.12.0-160000.26.1 SUSE-SU-2026:20615-1, SUSE-SU-2026:20599-1
SLES 16.0 kernel-default-base 6.12.0-160000.26.1.160000.2.7 SUSE-SU-2026:20599-1
SLE Micro 6.2 kernel-default-base 6.12.0-160000.26.1.160000.2.7 SUSE-SU-2026:20555-1
SLE Micro 6.2 kernel-rt +5 6.12.0-160000.26.1 SUSE-SU-2026:20570-1, SUSE-SU-2026:20555-1
SLE Micro 6.1 kernel-default-base 6.4.0-39.1.21.16 SUSE-SU-2026:20498-1
SLE Micro 6.1 kernel-rt +1 6.4.0-40.1 SUSE-SU-2026:20876-1
SLE Micro 6.1 kernel-source +2 6.4.0-39.1 SUSE-SU-2026:20498-1
SLE Micro 6.0 kernel-default-base 6.4.0-39.1.21.16 SUSE-SU-2026:20477-1
SLE Micro 6.0 kernel-rt +1 6.4.0-40.1 SUSE-SU-2026:20845-1
SLE Micro 6.0 kernel-source +2 6.4.0-39.1 SUSE-SU-2026:20477-1
SLE Live Patching 15 SP7 kernel-default 6.4.0-150700.53.31.1 SUSE-SU-2026:0447-1
SLE Live Patching 15 SP7 kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7-RT_Update_9 1-150700.1.3.2 SUSE-SU-2026:0587-1
SLE Live Patching 15 SP7 kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP7_Update_9 1-150700.15.3.1 SUSE-SU-2026:0447-1
SLE Live Patching 12 SP5 kernel-default 4.12.14-122.293.1 SUSE-SU-2026:0473-1
SLE Live Patching 12 SP5 kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_77 1-8.3.1 SUSE-SU-2026:0473-1
SUSE Real Time Module 15 SP7 kernel-rt 6.4.0-150700.7.31.2 SUSE-SU-2026:0587-1
SUSE Real Time Module 15 SP7 kernel-syms-rt +1 6.4.0-150700.7.31.1 SUSE-SU-2026:0587-1
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
openSUSE Leap 16.0 kernel-default-base 6.12.0-160000.26.1.160000.2.7 openSUSE-SU-2026:20287-1
openSUSE Leap 16.0 kernel-rt +11 6.12.0-160000.26.1 openSUSE-SU-2026:20287-1

Amazon Linux

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Amazon Linux 2023 kernel-livepatch-6.12.64-87.122 +1 1:1.0-0.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-1494, ALAS2023-2026-1423
Amazon Linux 2023 perf +14 1:6.1.161-183.298.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-1494
Amazon Linux 2023 perf6.12 +14 1:6.12.64-87.122.amzn2023 ALAS2023-2026-1423

Azure Linux

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Azure Linux 3 kernel 6.6.121.1-1 —

Oracle Linux

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Oracle Linux 9 kernel-uek +34 6.12.0-108.64.6.3.el10uek ELSA-2026-50112
Oracle Linux 8 bpftool +18 5.15.0-318.199.3.2.el9uek ELSA-2026-50145

Advisories 50

References