CVE-2025-68726 crypto: aead - Fix reqsize handling
Improper reqsize handling in Linux kernel AEAD algorithms causes memory corruption, potentially leading to crashes or code execution.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2025-68726?
CVE-2025-68726 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Linux, published on 24 Dec 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
crypto: aead - Fix reqsize handling
Commit afddce13ce81d ("crypto: api - Add reqsize to crypto_alg") introduced cra_reqsize field in crypto_alg struct to replace type specific reqsize fields. It looks like this was introduced specifically for ahash and acomp from the commit description as subsequent commits add necessary changes in these alg frameworks.
However, this is being recommended for use in all crypto algs instead of setting reqsize using crypto_*_set_reqsize(). Using cra_reqsize in aead algorithms, hence, causes memory corruptions and crashes as the underlying functions in the algorithm framework have not been updated to set the reqsize properly from cra_reqsize. [1]
Add proper set_reqsize calls in the aead init function to properly initialize reqsize for these algorithms in the framework.
[1]: https://gist.github.com/Pratham-T/24247446f1faf4b7843e4014d5089f6b
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-68726?
How do I fix CVE-2025-68726?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade to the fixed version. Memory-safe languages, compiler hardening and fuzzing prevent most new cases. More about Memory corruption.
Is CVE-2025-68726 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-68726 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2025-68726, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-68726, GHSA-hgjv-cpc3-r8f4, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-68726.