Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability · CVE-2026-72019

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 head…

Published Aug 15, 2026 · catalog updated Oct 19, 2026 · the affected product

Open the advisory

Exploitation likelihood is not on this record for CVE-2026-72019. A missing EPSS score is not a low risk. Compare the affected product with the linked advisory before you change production.

Gaps on this record

  • No plain product name is stored. The page cannot tell you which product to check.
  • No version range is stored. A customer cannot check an installed version against this record.
  • No vendor fix or required action is stored. Compare the linked advisory before you change production.
  • EPSS is missing. A missing score is not a low risk.
Severity
High7.3
Known exploitation
Not in CISA/VulnCheck KEV
EPSS
Awaiting synchronization with FIRST
Remediation
Not established
Affected products
See sources for product scope

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.

No affected version ranges are stored yet. Use the vendor advisory before you decide this record does not apply.

How to fix CVE-2026-72019

  • Recommended remediation

    No required-action text, fix commit, or clear fixed-version range is stored yet.

  • Official advisories

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Should you patch?

Exploitation likelihood is not on this record for CVE-2026-72019. A missing EPSS score is not a low risk. Compare the affected product with the linked advisory before you change production.

Which versions are affected?

Affected version ranges are not on this record. Compare the installed version with the linked vendor advisory before you change production.

What should an analyst verify?

CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read. EPSS is not on this record yet. There is no CISA KEV listing. No Exploit-DB or Metasploit reference is linked. Use the source links for the original advisory.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Aug 15, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Detected

    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_sta

  2. Oct 19, 2026 · NIST NVD

    Updated

    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_sta

Sources

  • NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2026-72019

    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

    nvd.nist.gov

References

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 19, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.