CVE-2025-38721
04.09.2025, 16:15
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
netfilter: ctnetlink: fix refcount leak on table dump
There is a reference count leak in ctnetlink_dump_table():
if (res < 0) {
nf_conntrack_get(&ct->ct_general); // HERE
cb->args[1] = (unsigned long)ct;
...
While its very unlikely, its possible that ct == last.
If this happens, then the refcount of ct was already incremented.
This 2nd increment is never undone.
This prevents the conntrack object from being released, which in turn
keeps prevents cnet->count from dropping back to 0.
This will then block the netns dismantle (or conntrack rmmod) as
nf_conntrack_cleanup_net_list() will wait forever.
This can be reproduced by running conntrack_resize.sh selftest in a loop.
It takes ~20 minutes for me on a preemptible kernel on average before
I see a runaway kworker spinning in nf_conntrack_cleanup_net_list.
One fix would to change this to:
if (res < 0) {
if (ct != last)
nf_conntrack_get(&ct->ct_general);
But this reference counting isn't needed in the first place.
We can just store a cookie value instead.
A followup patch will do the same for ctnetlink_exp_dump_table,
it looks to me as if this has the same problem and like
ctnetlink_dump_table, we only need a 'skip hint', not the actual
object so we can apply the same cookie strategy there as well.Enginsight| Vendor | Product | Version |
|---|---|---|
| linux | linux_kernel | 2.6.19 ≤ 𝑥 < 5.4.297 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 5.5 ≤ 𝑥 < 5.10.241 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 5.11 ≤ 𝑥 < 5.15.190 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 5.16 ≤ 𝑥 < 6.1.149 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.2 ≤ 𝑥 < 6.6.103 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.7 ≤ 𝑥 < 6.12.43 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.13 ≤ 𝑥 < 6.15.11 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.16 ≤ 𝑥 < 6.16.2 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 2.6.18 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 2.6.18:rc5 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 2.6.18:rc6 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 2.6.18:rc7 |
| linux | linux_kernel | 6.17:rc1 |
| debian | debian_linux | 11.0 |
𝑥
= Vulnerable software versions
Debian Releases
References