Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ipv6: fix memory leak in fib6_rule_suppress
The kernel leaks memory when a `fib` rule is present in IPv6 nftables
firewall rules and a suppress_prefix rule is present in the IPv6 routing
rules (used by certain tools such as wg-quick). In such scenarios, every
incoming packet will leak an allocation in `ip6_dst_cache` slab cache.
After some hours of `bpftrace`-ing and source code reading, I tracked
down the issue to ca7a03c41753 ("ipv6: do not free rt if
FIB_LOOKUP_NOREF is set on suppress rule").
The problem with that change is that the generic `args->flags` always have
`FIB_LOOKUP_NOREF` set[1][2] but the IPv6-specific flag
`RT6_LOOKUP_F_DST_NOREF` might not be, leading to `fib6_rule_suppress` not
decreasing the refcount when needed.
How to reproduce:
- Add the following nftables rule to a prerouting chain:
meta nfproto ipv6 fib saddr . mark . iif oif missing drop
This can be done with:
sudo nft create table inet test
sudo nft create chain inet test test_chain '{ type filter hook prerouting priority filter + 10; policy accept; }'
sudo nft add rule inet test test_chain meta nfproto ipv6 fib saddr . mark . iif oif missing drop
- Run:
sudo ip -6 rule add table main suppress_prefixlength 0
- Watch `sudo slabtop -o | grep ip6_dst_cache` to see memory usage increase
with every incoming ipv6 packet.
This patch exposes the protocol-specific flags to the protocol
specific `suppress` function, and check the protocol-specific `flags`
argument for RT6_LOOKUP_F_DST_NOREF instead of the generic
FIB_LOOKUP_NOREF when decreasing the refcount, like this.
[1]: https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/ca7a03c4175366a92cee0ccc4fec0038c3266e26/net/ipv6/fib6_rules.c#L71
[2]: https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/ca7a03c4175366a92cee0ccc4fec0038c3266e26/net/ipv6/fib6_rules.c#L99
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 5.2.19 – < 5.3, 5.3.4 – < 5.4, 5.4 | 5.3 |
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 | 5.15.15-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 5.15.15-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 5.15.15-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +22 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux | 5.4.0-100.113 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-aws | 5.4.0-1066.69 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-azure | 5.4.0-1070.73 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-bluefield | 5.4.0-1028.31 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gcp | 5.4.0-1065.69 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +26 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gkeop | 5.4.0-1034.35 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-ibm | 5.4.0-1015.16 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-kvm | 5.4.0-1056.58 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-oracle | 5.4.0-1064.68 | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-raspi | 5.4.0-1053.60 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-aws-5.4 | 5.4.0-1066.69~18.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-azure-5.4 | 5.4.0-1070.73~18.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp-5.4 | 5.4.0-1065.69~18.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-hwe-5.4 | 5.4.0-100.113~18.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-ibm-5.4 | 5.4.0-1015.16~18.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-oracle-5.4 | 5.4.0-1064.68~18.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-raspi-5.4 | 5.4.0-1053.60~18.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS 20.04 LTS | linux-fips +3 | 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-fips | 5.4.0-1043.49 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 20.04 LTS | linux-gcp-fips | 5.4.0-1067.71~20.04.1 | — |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP5 | kernel-64kb +5 | 5.14.21-150500.55.73.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:3483-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2939-1 |
| SLES 15 SP5 | kernel-azure +2 | 5.14.21-150500.33.63.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:3190-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2947-1 |
| SLES 15 SP5 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150500.55.73.1.150500.6.33.8 | SUSE-SU-2024:3483-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2939-1 |
| SLES 15 SP5 | kernel-docs | 5.14.21-150500.55.73.2 | SUSE-SU-2024:3483-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2939-1 |
Show 3 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLE Micro 5.5 | kernel-default | 5.14.21-150500.55.73.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:3483-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2939-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.5 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150500.55.73.1.150500.6.33.8 | SUSE-SU-2024:3483-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2939-1 |
| SLE Micro 5.5 | kernel-rt +1 | 5.14.21-150500.13.64.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:3209-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2894-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP5 | kernel-default | 5.14.21-150500.55.73.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:3483-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2939-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP5 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP5_Update_17 +1 | 1-150500.11.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:2939-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2894-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 15 SP5 | kernel-livepatch-SLE15-SP5_Update_19 +1 | 1-150500.11.3.2 | SUSE-SU-2024:3483-1, SUSE-SU-2024:3209-1 |
| SUSE Real Time Module 15 SP5 | kernel-rt +3 | 5.14.21-150500.13.64.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:3209-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2894-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Leap 15.5 | dtb-aarch64 +9 | 5.14.21-150500.55.73.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:3483-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2939-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.5 | kernel-azure +2 | 5.14.21-150500.33.63.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:3190-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2947-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.5 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150500.55.73.1.150500.6.33.8 | SUSE-SU-2024:3483-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2939-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.5 | kernel-docs | 5.14.21-150500.55.73.2 | SUSE-SU-2024:3483-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2939-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.5 | kernel-rt +3 | 5.14.21-150500.13.64.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:3209-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2894-1 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Leap Micro 5.5 | kernel-default | 5.14.21-150500.55.73.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:3483-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2939-1 |
| openSUSE Leap Micro 5.5 | kernel-default-base | 5.14.21-150500.55.73.1.150500.6.33.8 | SUSE-SU-2024:3483-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2939-1 |
| openSUSE Leap Micro 5.5 | kernel-rt | 5.14.21-150500.13.64.1 | SUSE-SU-2024:3209-1, SUSE-SU-2024:2894-1 |
Advisories 7
- WID-SEC-2024-1235 Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen ermöglichen Denial of Service und unspezifische Angriffe BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Feb 15, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2024:3483-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2024:2947-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2024:3209-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2024:2939-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2024:3190-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2024:2894-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025