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CVE-2026-98369

Linux: xfrm: add missing rcu_read_lock(), skb_dst_force() and dev_hold() for xfrm_trans_reinject()

Linux LinuxOperating systems
CVSS
7.8High
ExploitationNo known exploitationNot in CISA KEV, which does not prove it is unexploitedCISA KEV
Exploit odds (EPSS)0.15%Chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 3% of CVEs. Scored 23 Oct 2026FIRST EPSS
Fixed in41e47f1664be86c91326f0afe0504a1162d00907Also 6601d91a85761f33351c71e04ec0bbd294ca07ce, 0cda8273265d30cac6423834fd7d4acb75f04fdb and 6 moreCVE List
Published6 Oct 2026Updated 19 Oct 2026CVE List

What fixes it

  • 41e47f1664be86c91326f0afe0504a1162d00907LinuxCVE List
  • 6601d91a85761f33351c71e04ec0bbd294ca07ceLinuxCVE List
  • 0cda8273265d30cac6423834fd7d4acb75f04fdbLinuxCVE List
  • 68a317b4aec8ca1868a39d69e40f9e29baa4f40aLinuxCVE List
  • 6eb3b071be8e260543c604550c54dac66e6b174bLinuxCVE List
  • 664fc0941df7c1918b2cd4de6ee00469ba77d8e4LinuxCVE List
Show all 9 fixed versions

A fixed version on one release line is not the upgrade target for every line. Check your exact version and any vendor backports.

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

xfrm: add missing rcu_read_lock(), skb_dst_force() and dev_hold() for xfrm_trans_reinject()

syzbot reported a suspicious RCU usage warning in ip6_pkt_drop():

WARNING: suspicious RCU usage in ip6_pkt_drop include/net/addrconf.h:389 suspicious rcu_dereference_check() usage!

Call Trace: __in6_dev_get_safely include/net/addrconf.h:389 [inline] ip6_pkt_drop+0x596/0x610 net/ipv6/route.c:4620 ip6_pkt_discard+0x1c/0x30 net/ipv6/route.c:4651 xfrm_trans_reinject+0x324/0x630 net/xfrm/xfrm_input.c:806 process_one_work kernel/workqueue.c:3322 [inline] process_scheduled_works+0xa8e/0x14e0 kernel/workqueue.c:3405 worker_thread+0xa47/0xfb0 kernel/workqueue.c:3486

When commit 4f4920669d21 ("xfrm: Reinject transport-mode packets through workqueue") converted xfrm_trans_reinject from a tasklet to a workqueue, the reinjection loop ceased running in softirq context. Workqueue workers run in process context where local_bh_disable() does not enter an RCU read-side critical section under CONFIG_PREEMPT_RCU.

Because finish callbacks (such as ip6_rcv_finish) expect to run under an RCU read lock (performing route lookups, l3mdev lookups, and accessing RCU-protected data structures), invoking them in workqueue context without rcu_read_lock() triggers RCU lockdep warnings.

Furthermore, packets queued to the workqueue via xfrm_trans_queue_net() may carry non-refcounted (noref) dst entries (e.g. from ip_route_input_noref). Additionally, on netdevice unregistration, dst_dev_put() replaces dst->dev with blackhole_netdev, so dst entries do not keep skb->dev alive while queued in the workqueue.

Fix these issues by:

  1. Calling skb_dst_force(skb) in xfrm_trans_queue_net() while still in the

caller's RCU section to ensure dst is reference-counted before queuing.

  1. Holding a reference on skb->dev via dev_hold()/dev_put() across workqueue

deferral so skb->dev remains valid during finish() callback processing.

  1. Acquiring rcu_read_lock() around the finish callback invocation loop in

xfrm_trans_reinject().

Text from CVE List

Affected versions 21

  • Linuxaffected: 7d98b26684cb2390729525b341ea099f0badbe18 before 41e47f1664be86c91326f0afe0504a1162d00907CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 4f4920669d21e1060b7243e5118dc3b71ced1276 before 6601d91a85761f33351c71e04ec0bbd294ca07ceCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 4f4920669d21e1060b7243e5118dc3b71ced1276 before 0cda8273265d30cac6423834fd7d4acb75f04fdbCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 4f4920669d21e1060b7243e5118dc3b71ced1276 before 68a317b4aec8ca1868a39d69e40f9e29baa4f40aCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 4f4920669d21e1060b7243e5118dc3b71ced1276 before 6eb3b071be8e260543c604550c54dac66e6b174bCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 4f4920669d21e1060b7243e5118dc3b71ced1276 before 664fc0941df7c1918b2cd4de6ee00469ba77d8e4CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 4f4920669d21e1060b7243e5118dc3b71ced1276 before d2f5082f9e84653fa1a9e8aebaaff23e688f5e19CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: f520075da484306bbb8425afd2c42404ba74816fCVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 130d9e5017ade1b81d16783563edb38c12a2eab7CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 5.15.75 before 5.15.222CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 5.19.17 before 5.20CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 6.0.3 before 6.1CVE List
  • Linuxaffected: 6.1CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: all versions before 6.1CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 5.15.222 through 5.15.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.1.189 through 6.1.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.6.158 through 6.6.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.12.112 through 6.12.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 6.18.54 through 6.18.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.2.8 through 7.2.*CVE List
  • Linuxunaffected: 7.3CVE List

References 7