CVE-2025-11961: OOBR and OOBW in pcap_ether_aton() in libpcap

Published Dec 31, 2025
·
Updated

OOBR and OOBW in pcapetheraton() in libpcap

Other sources

pcapetheraton() is an auxiliary function in libpcap, it takes a string argument and returns a fixed-size allocated buffer. The string argument must be a well-formed MAC-48 address in one of the supported formats, but this requirement has been poorly documented. If an application calls the function with an argument that deviates from the expected format, the function can read data beyond the end of the provided string and write data beyond the end of the allocated buffer.

NVD

Affected Software

9 affected componentsFixes available
libpcap
Microsoft cbl2 libpcap 1.10.1-4
Microsoft azl3 nmap 7.95-2
Microsoft cbl2 nmap 7.93-3
Microsoft azl3 libpcap 1.10.5-1
Microsoft azl3 nmap 7.95-3
Microsoft cbl2 nmap 7.93-4
Microsoft cbl2 libpcap 1.10.1-4
Microsoft cbl2 libpcap 1.10.1-5

Remediation

Information

In libpcap 1.10.6 the function has been reimplemented to apply a stricter input validation and to fail safely if the input is invalid.

Event History

Dec 31, 2025
CVE Published
via MITRE·12:56 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·12:56 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·01:15 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Jan 3, 2026
Data Sourced
via Microsoft·01:01 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Updated
via Microsoft·01:01 AM
Affected Software
Updated
via Microsoft·09:01 AM
DescriptionSeverity
Updated
via Microsoft·09:01 AM
Affected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2025-11961?

CVE-2025-11961 has a moderate severity level due to the potential for incomplete validation of MAC addresses.

2

How do I fix CVE-2025-11961?

To fix CVE-2025-11961, ensure that applications utilizing libpcap properly validate the format of MAC-48 addresses before passing them to pcap_ether_aton().

3

What software versions are affected by CVE-2025-11961?

The vulnerability affects all versions of libpcap where the pcap_ether_aton() function is utilized without adequate documentation of address format requirements.

4

What is the impact of CVE-2025-11961?

The impact of CVE-2025-11961 may allow applications to behave unexpectedly when improperly formatted MAC addresses are processed.

5

Is there a patch available for CVE-2025-11961?

Yes, a patch addressing CVE-2025-11961 has been committed to the libpcap repository.

Contact

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