Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
can: dev: can_get_echo_skb(): prevent call to kfree_skb() in hard IRQ context
If a driver calls can_get_echo_skb() during a hardware IRQ (which is often, but
not always, the case), the 'WARN_ON(in_irq)' in
net/core/skbuff.c#skb_release_head_state() might be triggered, under network
congestion circumstances, together with the potential risk of a NULL pointer
dereference.
The root cause of this issue is the call to kfree_skb() instead of
dev_kfree_skb_irq() in net/core/dev.c#enqueue_to_backlog().
This patch prevents the skb to be freed within the call to netif_rx() by
incrementing its reference count with skb_get(). The skb is finally freed by
one of the in-irq-context safe functions: dev_consume_skb_any() or
dev_kfree_skb_any(). The "any" version is used because some drivers might call
can_get_echo_skb() in a normal context.
The reason for this issue to occur is that initially, in the core network
stack, loopback skb were not supposed to be received in hardware IRQ context.
The CAN stack is an exeption.
This bug was previously reported back in 2017 in [1] but the proposed patch
never got accepted.
While [1] directly modifies net/core/dev.c, we try to propose here a
smoother modification local to CAN network stack (the assumption
behind is that only CAN devices are affected by this issue).
[1] http://lore.kernel.org/r/57a3ffb6-3309-3ad5-5a34-e93c3fe3614d@cetitec.com
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 2.6.31 | 4.4.244 |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | linux | 5.9.9-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 5.9.9-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 5.9.9-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-realtime +1 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +32 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux | 5.4.0-59.65 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-aws | 5.4.0-1034.35 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-azure | 5.4.0-1035.36 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gcp | 5.4.0-1033.35 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +28 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-kvm | 5.4.0-1031.32 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-oracle | 5.4.0-1034.36 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-raspi | 5.4.0-1026.29 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux | 4.15.0-135.139 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-aws | 4.15.0-1093.99 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-aws-5.4 | 5.4.0-1034.35~18.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-azure-4.15 | 4.15.0-1106.118 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-azure-5.4 | 5.4.0-1035.36~18.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp-4.15 | 4.15.0-1092.105 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp-5.4 | 5.4.0-1033.35~18.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-hwe-5.4 | 5.4.0-59.65~18.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-kvm | 4.15.0-1084.86 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-oracle | 4.15.0-1064.71 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-oracle-5.4 | 5.4.0-1034.36~18.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-raspi-5.4 | 5.4.0-1026.29~18.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux | 4.4.0-198.230 | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-aws | 4.4.0-1119.133 | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-aws-hwe | 4.15.0-1093.99~16.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-azure | 4.15.0-1106.118~16.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-gcp | 4.15.0-1092.105~16.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe | 4.15.0-133.137~16.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-kvm | 4.4.0-1085.94 | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-oracle | 4.15.0-1064.71~16.04.1 | — |
Show 7 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS 20.04 LTS | linux-aws-fips +2 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS 18.04 LTS | linux-fips +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS 16.04 LTS | linux-fips | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 20.04 LTS | linux-aws-fips | 5.4.0-1069.73+fips2 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 20.04 LTS | linux-azure-fips | 5.4.0-1073.76+fips1 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 20.04 LTS | linux-gcp-fips | 5.4.0-1067.71~20.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 18.04 LTS | linux-aws-fips | 4.15.0-2036.38 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 18.04 LTS | linux-azure-fips | 4.15.0-2018.21 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 18.04 LTS | linux-fips | 4.15.0-1052.60 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 16.04 LTS | linux-fips | 4.4.0-1052.58 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS | linux | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS | linux-aws | 4.4.0-1083.87 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS | linux-azure | 4.15.0-1106.118~14.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS | linux-lts-xenial | 4.4.0-198.230~14.04.1 | — |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP3 | kernel-64kb +7 | 5.3.18-150300.59.204.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01633-1 |
| SLES 15 SP3 | kernel-default-base | 5.3.18-150300.59.204.1.150300.18.122.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01633-1 |
| SLES 12 SP5 | kernel-syms +2 | 4.12.14-122.258.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01600-1 |
Show 7 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 15 SP3 | kernel-default-base | 5.3.18-150300.59.204.1.150300.18.122.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01633-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP3 | kernel-docs +5 | 5.3.18-150300.59.204.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01633-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.2 | kernel-default | 5.3.18-150300.59.204.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01633-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.2 | kernel-default-base | 5.3.18-150300.59.204.1.150300.18.122.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01633-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.2 | kernel-rt +1 | 5.3.18-150300.208.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1574-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.1 | kernel-default | 5.3.18-150300.59.204.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01633-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.1 | kernel-default-base | 5.3.18-150300.59.204.1.150300.18.122.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01633-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.1 | kernel-rt +1 | 5.3.18-150300.208.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:1574-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP3 | kernel-default | 5.3.18-150300.59.204.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01633-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP3 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP3_Update_57 | 1-150300.7.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01633-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 12 SP5 | kernel-default | 4.12.14-122.258.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01600-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 12 SP5 | kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP5_Update_68 | 1-8.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01600-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP3 | kernel-64kb +6 | 5.3.18-150300.59.204.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01633-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP3 | kernel-default-base | 5.3.18-150300.59.204.1.150300.18.122.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01633-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 7.1 | kernel-64kb +6 | 5.3.18-150300.59.204.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01633-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 7.1 | kernel-default-base | 5.3.18-150300.59.204.1.150300.18.122.1 | SUSE-SU-2025:01633-1 |
Advisories 4
- WID-SEC-2025-0861 Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 12, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2025:01633-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Mar 23, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2025:1574-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2025:01600-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/248b71ce92d4f3a574b2537f9838f48e892618f4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/451187b20431924d13fcfecc500d7cd2d9951bac
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3a922a85701939624484e7f2fd07d32beed00d25
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7e4cf2ec0ca236c3e5f904239cec6efe1f3baf22
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ab46748bf98864f9c3f5559060bf8caf9df2b41e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/87530b557affe01c764de32dbeb58cdf47234574
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2283f79b22684d2812e5c76fc2280aae00390365