# CVE-2025-68388: Elasticsearch Packetbeat has Excessive Allocation of Memory and CPU via Malicious IPv4 Fragments > An unauthenticated remote attacker can cause denial of service in Packetbeat by sending malicious IPv4 fragments that exhaust memory and CPU resources. - **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Not needed - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 18 Dec 2025 - **Updated:** 19 Dec 2025 - **Also known as:** GHSA-fj69-23m4-ccvv, GO-2025-4253, MINI-2m59-vc7h-rh6j, MINI-2v92-h8r4-8h6q, MINI-484h-qg26-ghq9, MINI-59m9-h8qw-hx47, MINI-6qxr-4876-wp5p, MINI-72cg-mff8-hwf7, MINI-73jp-5hgv-cv8j, MINI-8qgf-2x5g-j6hq, MINI-gvh4-fj53-59g4, MINI-m6m2-m29x-v5f2 ## What is CVE-2025-68388? CVE-2025-68388 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Elastic Packetbeat, published on 18 Dec 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. ### Official description Allocation of resources without limits or throttling (CWE-770) allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to cause excessive allocation (CAPEC-130) of memory and CPU via the integration of malicious IPv4 fragments, leading to a degradation in Packetbeat. Weakness: CWE-770 (Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-68388? 10 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/elastic/beats and github.com/elastic/beats/v7. It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `github.com/elastic/beats` | Go | All versions | None | | `github.com/elastic/beats` | Go | From 8.6.0 | 8.19.9 | | `github.com/elastic/beats` | Go | From 8.6.0 | 8.19.9 | | `github.com/elastic/beats` | Go | From 9.0.0 | 9.1.9 | | `github.com/elastic/beats` | Go | From 9.0.0 | 9.1.9 | | `github.com/elastic/beats` | Go | From 9.2.0 | 9.2.3 | | `github.com/elastic/beats` | Go | From 9.2.0 | 9.2.3 | | `github.com/elastic/beats/v7` | Go | All versions | 7.0.0-alpha2.0.20251209162832-28cfc80d2f4e | | `github.com/elastic/beats/v7` | Go | All versions | 7.0.0-alpha2.0.20251209162832-28cfc80d2f4e | | `github.com/elastic/beats/v7` | Go | All versions | 7.0.0-alpha2.0.20251209162832-28cfc80d2f4e | Products: Elasticsearch Packetbeat. ## How do I fix CVE-2025-68388? Upgrade github.com/elastic/beats to a fixed version for your release line: 8.19.9, 9.1.9 or 9.2.3. ## Is CVE-2025-68388 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-68388 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Other vulnerabilities in Elastic Packetbeat - [CVE-2017-11480](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-11480/): Denial of Service in Packetbeat (high 7.5) - [CVE-2025-68381](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-68381/): Packetbeat Improper Bounds Check (medium 6.5) - [CVE-2025-68382](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-68382/): Packetbeat Out-of-bounds Read (medium 6.5) - [CVE-2026-26933](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-26933/): Improper Validation of Array Index in Packetbeat Leading to Denial of Service (medium 5.7) - [CVE-2026-26932](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-26932/): Improper Validation of Array Index in Packetbeat Leading to Denial of Service (medium 5.7) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2025-68388 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2025-68388 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Elastic Packetbeat, published on 18 Dec 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-68388 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - github.com/elastic/beats (Go): affected all versions; no fix listed - github.com/elastic/beats (Go): affected from 8.6.0; fixed in 8.19.9 - github.com/elastic/beats (Go): affected from 8.6.0; fixed in 8.19.9 - github.com/elastic/beats (Go): affected from 9.0.0; fixed in 9.1.9 - github.com/elastic/beats (Go): affected from 9.0.0; fixed in 9.1.9 - github.com/elastic/beats (Go): affected from 9.2.0; fixed in 9.2.3 - github.com/elastic/beats (Go): affected from 9.2.0; fixed in 9.2.3 - github.com/elastic/beats/v7 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 7.0.0-alpha2.0.20251209162832-28cfc80d2f4e - github.com/elastic/beats/v7 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 7.0.0-alpha2.0.20251209162832-28cfc80d2f4e - github.com/elastic/beats/v7 (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 7.0.0-alpha2.0.20251209162832-28cfc80d2f4e Task: 1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies. 2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it. 3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead. 4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why. 5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing. Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-68388/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-68388/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-68388 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-68388 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-68388 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-68388/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.