# 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.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2025-68726, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-68726, GHSA-hgjv-cpc3-r8f4, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-68726

## 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.

## Is CVE-2025-68726 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-68726 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-68726 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-68726 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2025-68726/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-68726/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-68726
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-68726
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-68726

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-68726/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.