macsec: don't read an unset MAC header in macsec_encrypt()
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · Low · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 4 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: macsec: don't read an unset MAC header in macsec_encrypt() macsec_encrypt() reads the Ethernet header via eth_hdr(skb) (skb->head + skb->mac_header) to memmove() the 12 source/destination MAC bytes forward and make room for the SecTAG. On the AF_PACKET SOCK_RAW + PACKET_QDISC_BYPASS transmit path the skb reaches the macsec ndo_start_xmit() with the MAC header unset, so eth_hdr(skb) resolves to skb->head + (u16)~0 and the read is out of bounds: a 12-byte heap over-read that is also emitted on the wire as the frame's outer source/destination MAC. KASAN reports a slab-out-of-bounds read in macsec_start_xmit() on 6.0; on current mainline a CONFIG_DEBUG_NET build flags it as an unset mac header in skb_mac_header(). On the TX path the L2 header is at skb->data, so use skb_eth_hdr(), added by commit 96cc4b69581d ("macvlan: do not assume mac_header is set in macvlan_broadcast()") for exactly this purpose.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.265, 5.15.216, 6.1.178, 6.6.145, 6.12.97, 6.18.40, 7.1.5, 7.2
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-72019
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-593p-5684-69pq
- 2026-10-16 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-20 Weakness changed · CISA ADP
- 2026-11-06 CVSS score changed · Red Hat
References
Other 8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/b6cec6187b8632423cd99a94fd5e5ba165fa2a33
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3adea1b1c04b57e08a5c12a1f42483760581ce61
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc9ffa1905e72f026d080880a2e4cfc42aa91000
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f21fa533a3ed15ada74106aac4b9ddd078fc6b7a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e17a42199824973cd8212e95b21ffadf4114a21b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2cf10d042562283ff4ae97c02d0993d4f1b5ea29
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c39087ad0b97fc11a3b058dfc8db9fd370762cb9
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f5089008f90c0a7c5520dff3934e0af00adf322d
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Sources
- CVE-2026-72019 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-72019 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-593p-5684-69pq · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-72019 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences