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CVE Record

CVE-2025-68788: fsnotify: do not generate ACCESS/MODIFY events on child for special files

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: fsnotify: do not generate ACCESS/MODIFY events on child for special files inotify/fanotify do not allow users with no read access to a file to subscribe to events (e.g. IN_ACCESS/IN_MODIFY), but they do allow the same user to subscribe for watching events on children when the user has access to the parent directory (e.g. /dev). Users with no read access to a file but with read access to its parent directory can still stat the file and see if it was accessed/modified via atime/mtime change. The same is not true for special files (e.g. /dev/null). Users will not generally observe atime/mtime changes when other users read/write to special files, only when someone sets atime/mtime via utimensat(). Align fsnotify events with this stat behavior and do not generate ACCESS/MODIFY events to parent watchers on read/write of special files. The events are still generated to parent watchers on utimensat(). This closes some side-channels that could be possibly used for information exfiltration [1]. [1] https://snee.la/pdf/pubs/file-notification-attacks.pdf

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysisunknown

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2025-68788 is a Linux kernel information-leak issue in file notification behavior. A user who cannot read a special file could still observe access or modification events through a watch on the parent directory. The kernel change stops those events for special files, reducing a possible side channel for information exfiltration.

Executive priority

Prioritize routine security patching, with faster action for shared Linux hosts, container platforms, and Siemens-managed environments. Current evidence does not support emergency response, but the issue can weaken confidentiality boundaries in multi-tenant systems.

Technical view

The issue is in fsnotify/inotify/fanotify handling for special files. Parent-directory watchers could receive ACCESS/MODIFY child events for special files even when direct event subscription on the file would be blocked by read permissions. Fixed kernels align event generation with stat-observable atime/mtime behavior and still allow utimensat-related events.

Likely exposure

Exposure is likely limited to Linux systems running affected kernel versions or downstream products incorporating them. Highest relevance is multi-user, container, shared-hosting, or appliance environments where less-privileged users can monitor parent directories such as /dev.

Exploitation context

The provided sources do not show active exploitation, public exploit code, or KEV listing. The cited impact is a possible side channel that could support information exfiltration, not direct code execution or privilege escalation.

Researcher notes

The record lacks CVSS, CWE, and detailed downstream version mapping. The core security boundary is inconsistent fsnotify event delivery for special files versus direct file watch permissions and stat-visible timestamps. Avoid claiming exploitability beyond the documented side-channel risk.

Mitigation direction

  • Update Linux kernels to vendor-provided fixed releases containing the referenced fsnotify patches.
  • Review distribution and appliance vendor advisories for backported fixes and package names.
  • For Siemens environments, check SSA-019113 for affected product guidance.
  • Reduce untrusted local user access on shared systems until patched.
  • Treat container hosts as priority if untrusted workloads share kernel resources.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers, containers hosts, appliances, and OT assets.
  • Compare kernel builds against vendor advisories and the referenced stable commits.
  • Confirm whether Siemens products in scope match SSA-019113 exposure guidance.
  • Check for untrusted local users or workloads able to watch shared parent directories.
  • Document compensating controls where patching requires maintenance windows.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
11

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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CVE-2025-68788 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
9Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
siemens-SADPADP container
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux72acc854427948efed7a83da27f7dc3239ac9afc, 72acc854427948efed7a83da27f7dc3239ac9afc, 72acc854427948efed7a83da27f7dc3239ac9afc, 72acc854427948efed7a83da27f7dc3239ac9afc, 72acc854427948efed7a83da27f7dc3239ac9afc, 72acc854427948efed7a83da27f7dc3239ac9afc, 72acc854427948efed7a83da27f7dc3239ac9afcunaffected
LinuxLinux2.6.36, 0, 5.10.248, 5.15.198, 6.1.160, 6.6.120, 6.12.64, 6.18.3, 6.19affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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