CVE-2025-68160 | Heap out-of-bounds write in BIO_f_linebuffer on short writes

Issue summary: Writing large, newline-free data into a BIO chain using the line-buffering filter where the next BIO performs short writes can trigger a heap-based out-of-bounds write. Impact summary: This out-of-bounds write can cause memory corruption which typically results in a crash, leading to Denial of Service for an application. The line-buffering BIO filter (BIO_f_linebuffer) is not used by default in TLS/SSL data paths. In OpenSSL command-line applications, it is typically only pushed onto stdout/stderr on VMS systems. Third-party applications that explicitly use this filter with a BIO chain that can short-write and that write large, newline-free data influenced by an attacker would be affected. However, the circumstances where this could happen are unlikely to be under attacker control, and BIO_f_linebuffer is unlikely to be handling non-curated data controlled by an attacker. For that reason the issue was assessed as Low severity. The FIPS modules in 3.6, 3.5, 3.4, 3.3 and 3.0 are not affected by this issue, as the BIO implementation is outside the OpenSSL FIPS module boundary. OpenSSL 3.6, 3.5, 3.4, 3.3, 3.0, 1.1.1 and 1.0.2 are vulnerable to this issue.

Published: 2026-01-27 Last update: 2026-05-12 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Modified，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2025-68160 is rated Low Risk (21.1/100): CVSS Medium severity, with low exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.03%). Monitor for updates and reassess as exploit intelligence or EPSS changes.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2025-68160

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-01-28 — 0.03% —

Full EPSS history (1 record total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2025-68160

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
4.7 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:L)
They already need access on the box, or another person has to do something wrong; it’s not a remote drive-by.
Attack complexity (AC:H)
Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:L)
A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:N)
Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:N)
Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 1.0 3.6 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2025-68160

GitHub Security Advisory for CVE-2025-68160

GHSA-g78j-46j5-97cr · Severity: medium — Issue summary: Writing large, newline-free data into a BIO chain using the line-buffering filter...

OS Trackers for CVE-2025-68160

vendor priority summary link
alpine — CVE-2025-68160: 1 source package rows (openssl); 147 state rows across 6 repos (3.19-main, 3.20-main, 3.21-main, 3.22-main, 3.23-main, edge-main); fixed 5, open 142. https://security.alpinelinux.org/vuln/CVE-2025-68160
debian not yet assigned CVE-2025-68160 not yet assigned priority: Debian including 1 source packages (openssl), 5 status rows across 5 suites (bookworm, bullseye, forky, sid, trixie): resolved 5. https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2025-68160
redhat low — https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-68160
suse medium CVE-2025-68160 severity moderate: SUSE including 456 source package names (1.1.1-1.15:libopenssl3-3.2.3-150700.5.24.1, 1.1.1-1.15:openssl-3-3.2.3-150700.5.24.1, …), 1467 product×package rows across 298 product lines (Container private-registry/harbor-core, Container private-registry/harbor-exporter, … (298 product lines)): Fixed 1172, Known Affected 231, Known Not Affected 57, First Fixed 7. https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-68160/
ubuntu low CVE-2025-68160 low priority: Ubuntu including 4 source packages (edk2, nodejs, openssl, openssl1.0), 32 status rows across 9 suites (bionic, focal, jammy, noble, plucky, questing, trusty, upstream, xenial): needs-triage 11, released 9, not-affected 5, DNE 4, ignored 2, needed 1. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-68160

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2025-68160

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
openssl openssl >= 1.0.2, < 1.0.2zn cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl >= 1.1.1, < 1.1.1ze cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl >= 3.0.0, < 3.0.19 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl >= 3.3.0, < 3.3.6 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl >= 3.4.0, < 3.4.4 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl >= 3.5.0, < 3.5.5 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
openssl openssl >= 3.6.0, < 3.6.1 cpe:2.3:a:openssl:openssl:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2025-68160

cvelogic Threat Intelligence