Linux Kernel up to 6.6.116/6.12.57/6.17.7 ima privilege escalation

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CTI Interest Score
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5.3$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as critical has been detected in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.116/6.12.57/6.17.7. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the component ima. Performing a manipulation results in an unknown weakness. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2025-68183. No exploit is available. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.6.116/6.12.57/6.17.7. This affects some unknown functionality of the component ima. The impact remains unknown. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ima: don't clear IMA_DIGSIG flag when setting or removing non-IMA xattr Currently when both IMA and EVM are in fix mode, the IMA signature will be reset to IMA hash if a program first stores IMA signature in security.ima and then writes/removes some other security xattr for the file. For example, on Fedora, after booting the kernel with "ima_appraise=fix evm=fix ima_policy=appraise_tcb" and installing rpm-plugin-ima, installing/reinstalling a package will not make good reference IMA signature generated. Instead IMA hash is generated, # getfattr -m - -d -e hex /usr/bin/bash # file: usr/bin/bash security.ima=0x0404... This happens because when setting security.selinux, the IMA_DIGSIG flag that had been set early was cleared. As a result, IMA hash is generated when the file is closed. Similarly, IMA signature can be cleared on file close after removing security xattr like security.evm or setting/removing ACL. Prevent replacing the IMA file signature with a file hash, by preventing the IMA_DIGSIG flag from being reset. Here's a minimal C reproducer which sets security.selinux as the last step which can also replaced by removing security.evm or setting ACL, #include <stdio.h> #include <sys/xattr.h> #include <fcntl.h> #include <unistd.h> #include <string.h> #include <stdlib.h> int main() { const char* file_path = "/usr/sbin/test_binary"; const char* hex_string = "030204d33204490066306402304"; int length = strlen(hex_string); char* ima_attr_value; int fd; fd = open(file_path, O_WRONLY|O_CREAT|O_EXCL, 0644); if (fd == -1) { perror("Error opening file"); return 1; } ima_attr_value = (char*)malloc(length / 2 ); for (int i = 0, j = 0; i < length; i += 2, j++) { sscanf(hex_string + i, "%2hhx", &ima_attr_value[j]); } if (fsetxattr(fd, "security.ima", ima_attr_value, length/2, 0) == -1) { perror("Error setting extended attribute"); close(fd); return 1; } const char* selinux_value= "system_u:object_r:bin_t:s0"; if (fsetxattr(fd, "security.selinux", selinux_value, strlen(selinux_value), 0) == -1) { perror("Error setting extended attribute"); close(fd); return 1; } close(fd); return 0; }

The advisory is shared at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2025-68183 since 12/16/2025. Neither technical details nor an exploit are publicly available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 298928 (SUSE SLES15 : Recommended update for initial livepatch (SUSE-SU-2026:0474-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.6.117, 6.12.58 or 6.17.8 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch d2993a7e98eb70c737c6f5365a190e79c72b8407/edd824eb45e4f7e05ad3ab090dab6dbdb79cd292/88b4cbcf6b041ae0f2fc8a34554a5b6a83a2b7cd is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (298928) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-2868). If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Affected

  • Debian Linux
  • IBM DataPower Gateway
  • Amazon Linux 2
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Ubuntu Linux
  • SUSE Linux
  • Oracle Linux
  • SUSE openSUSE
  • RESF Rocky Linux
  • Open Source Linux Kernel
  • Siemens SIMATIC S7

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.5
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.3

VulDB Base Score: 5.5
VulDB Temp Score: 5.3
VulDB Vector: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔒
VulDB Temp Score: 🔒
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Privilege escalation
CWE: Unknown
CAPEC: 🔒
ATT&CK: 🔒

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔒
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔒
EPSS Percentile: 🔒

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔒

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Nessus ID: 298928
Nessus Name: SUSE SLES15 : Recommended update for initial livepatch (SUSE-SU-2026:0474-1)

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔒

Upgrade: Kernel 6.6.117/6.12.58/6.17.8
Patch: d2993a7e98eb70c737c6f5365a190e79c72b8407/edd824eb45e4f7e05ad3ab090dab6dbdb79cd292/88b4cbcf6b041ae0f2fc8a34554a5b6a83a2b7cd

Timelineinfo

12/16/2025 Advisory disclosed
12/16/2025 +0 days CVE reserved
12/16/2025 +0 days VulDB entry created
08/10/2026 +237 days VulDB entry last update

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: git.kernel.org
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2025-68183 (🔒)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2025-68183
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-336765
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2025-2868 - Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen

Entryinfo

Created: 12/16/2025 16:00
Updated: 08/10/2026 12:29
Changes: 12/16/2025 16:00 (57), 12/17/2025 08:03 (1), 01/19/2026 22:37 (7), 02/03/2026 02:40 (1), 02/13/2026 19:36 (2), 02/21/2026 07:23 (1), 08/10/2026 12:29 (3)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

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