Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
inet: frags: drop fraglist conntrack references
Jakub added a warning in nf_conntrack_cleanup_net_list() to make debugging
leaked skbs/conntrack references more obvious.
syzbot reports this as triggering, and I can also reproduce this via
ip_defrag.sh selftest:
conntrack cleanup blocked for 60s
WARNING: net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c:2512
[..]
conntrack clenups gets stuck because there are skbs with still hold nf_conn
references via their frag_list.
net.core.skb_defer_max=0 makes the hang disappear.
Eric Dumazet points out that skb_release_head_state() doesn't follow the
fraglist.
ip_defrag.sh can only reproduce this problem since
commit 6471658dc66c ("udp: use skb_attempt_defer_free()"), but AFAICS this
problem could happen with TCP as well if pmtu discovery is off.
The relevant problem path for udp is:
1. netns emits fragmented packets
2. nf_defrag_v6_hook reassembles them (in output hook)
3. reassembled skb is tracked (skb owns nf_conn reference)
4. ip6_output refragments
5. refragmented packets also own nf_conn reference (ip6_fragment
calls ip6_copy_metadata())
6. on input path, nf_defrag_v6_hook skips defragmentation: the
fragments already have skb->nf_conn attached
7. skbs are reassembled via ipv6_frag_rcv()
8. skb_consume_udp -> skb_attempt_defer_free() -> skb ends up
in pcpu freelist, but still has nf_conn reference.
Possible solutions:
1 let defrag engine drop nf_conn entry, OR
2 export kick_defer_list_purge() and call it from the conntrack
netns exit callback, OR
3 add skb_has_frag_list() check to skb_attempt_defer_free()
2 & 3 also solve ip_defrag.sh hang but share same drawback:
Such reassembled skbs, queued to socket, can prevent conntrack module
removal until userspace has consumed the packet. While both tcp and udp
stack do call nf_reset_ct() before placing skb on socket queue, that
function doesn't iterate frag_list skbs.
Therefore drop nf_conn entries when they are placed in defrag queue.
Keep the nf_conn entry of the first (offset 0) skb so that reassembled
skb retains nf_conn entry for sake of TX path.
Note that fixes tag is incorrect; it points to the commit introducing the
'ip_defrag.sh reproducible problem': no need to backport this patch to
every stable kernel.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 6.18 | 6.18.6 |
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 | 6.18.8-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv +11 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +32 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +28 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +14 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe-edge | No fix yet | — |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro Realtime 24.04 LTS | linux-realtime-6.14 | No fix yet | — |
Advisories 1
- WID-SEC-2026-0280 Linux Kernel: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Nov 12, 2026