can: dev: can_get_echo_skb(): prevent call to kfree_skb() in hard IRQ context
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 3 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-476.
Summary
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/[email protected]
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | 2.6.31 and later | 4.4.244, 4.9.244, 4.14.207, 4.19.158, 5.4.78, 5.9.9, 5.10 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.31 and later Fixed in 4.4.244, 4.9.244, 4.14.207, 4.19.158, 5.4.78, 5.9.9, 5.10 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 3
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.31 to before 4.4.244; 4.5 to before 4.9.244; 4.10 to before 4.14.207; 4.15 to before 4.19.158; 4.20 to before 5.4.78; 5.5 to before 5.9.9 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.10:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.10 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.10:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.10 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.31 to before 4.4.244; 4.5 to before 4.9.244; 4.10 to before 4.14.207; 4.15 to before 4.19.158; 4.20 to before 5.4.78; 5.5 to before 5.9.9 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.10:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.10 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.10:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.10 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 4.4.244, 4.9.244, 4.14.207, 4.19.158, 5.4.78, 5.9.9, 5.10
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-36789
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-5974-c6r6-2pv9
References
Patch 7
- 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
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- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2020-36789 · CVE Program
- CVE-2020-36789 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-5974-c6r6-2pv9 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2020-36789 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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