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TI-2025-25806 Aliases CVE-2025-38468GHSA-4mqg-q94g-wmfr

net/sched: Return NULL when htb_lookup_leaf encounters an empty rbtree

Priority LOW 24CWE-476Published · Updated

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: 5 fixed, 4 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-476.

Summary

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/sched: Return NULL when htb_lookup_leaf encounters an empty rbtree htb_lookup_leaf has a BUG_ON that can trigger with the following: tc qdisc del dev lo root tc qdisc add dev lo root handle 1: htb default 1 tc class add dev lo parent 1: classid 1:1 htb rate 64bit tc qdisc add dev lo parent 1:1 handle 2: netem tc qdisc add dev lo parent 2:1 handle 3: blackhole ping -I lo -c1 -W0.001 127.0.0.1 The root cause is the following: 1. htb_dequeue calls htb_dequeue_tree which calls the dequeue handler on the selected leaf qdisc 2. netem_dequeue calls enqueue on the child qdisc 3. blackhole_enqueue drops the packet and returns a value that is not just NET_XMIT_SUCCESS 4. Because of this, netem_dequeue calls qdisc_tree_reduce_backlog, and since qlen is now 0, it calls htb_qlen_notify -> htb_deactivate -> htb_deactiviate_prios -> htb_remove_class_from_row -> htb_safe_rb_erase 5. As this is the only class in the selected hprio rbtree, __rb_change_child in __rb_erase_augmented sets the rb_root pointer to NULL 6. Because blackhole_dequeue returns NULL, netem_dequeue returns NULL, which causes htb_dequeue_tree to call htb_lookup_leaf with the same hprio rbtree, and fail the BUG_ON The function graph for this scenario is shown here: 0) | htb_enqueue() { 0) + 13.635 us | netem_enqueue(); 0) 4.719 us | htb_activate_prios(); 0) # 2249.199 us | } 0) | htb_dequeue() { 0) 2.355 us | htb_lookup_leaf(); 0) | netem_dequeue() { 0) + 11.061 us | blackhole_enqueue(); 0) | qdisc_tree_reduce_backlog() { 0) | qdisc_lookup_rcu() { 0) 1.873 us | qdisc_match_from_root(); 0) 6.292 us | } 0) 1.894 us | htb_search(); 0) | htb_qlen_notify() { 0) 2.655 us | htb_deactivate_prios(); 0) 6.933 us | } 0) + 25.227 us | } 0) 1.983 us | blackhole_dequeue(); 0) + 86.553 us | } 0) # 2932.761 us | qdisc_warn_nonwc(); 0) | htb_lookup_leaf() { 0) | BUG_ON(); ------------------------------------------ The full original bug report can be seen here [1]. We can fix this just by returning NULL instead of the BUG_ON, as htb_dequeue_tree returns NULL when htb_lookup_leaf returns NULL. [1] https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/pF5XOOIim0IuEfhI-SOxTgRvNoDwuux7UHKnE_Y5-zVd4wmGvNk2ceHjKb8ORnzw0cGwfmVu42g9dL7XyJLf1NEzaztboTWcm0Ogxuojoeo=@willsroot.io/

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00196 9th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 5.4.297, 5.10.241, 5.15.190 +5Red Hat: 1 advisoryRed Hat: 5 fixed, 4 without a fix

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

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
LinuxLinux2.6.29 and later5.4.297, 5.10.241, 5.15.190, 6.1.147, 6.6.100, 6.12.40, 6.15.8, 6.16Patch availableCNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 2.6.29 and later Fixed in 5.4.297, 5.10.241, 5.15.190, 6.1.147, 6.6.100, 6.12.40, 6.15.8, 6.16 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 8

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*2.6.29 to before 5.4.297; 5.5 to before 5.10.241; 5.11 to before 5.15.190; 5.16 to before 6.1.147; 6.2 to before 6.6.100; 6.7 to before 6.12.40; 6.13 to before 6.15.8VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*6.16 rc1VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*6.16 rc2VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*6.16 rc3VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*6.16 rc4VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*6.16 rc5VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*6.16 rc6VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*11.0VulnerableDebian
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.29 to before 5.4.297; 5.5 to before 5.10.241; 5.11 to before 5.15.190; 5.16 to before 6.1.147; 6.2 to before 6.6.100; 6.7 to before 6.12.40; 6.13 to before 6.15.8 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.16 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.16 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.16 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.16 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.16 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.16 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.0 Vulnerable ·Debian

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.4.297, 5.10.241, 5.15.190, 6.1.147, 6.6.100, 6.12.40, 6.15.8, 6.16

Red Hat 1 advisory

  • RHSA-2025:20095 Released 2025-11-11 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    kernel security update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 10) kernel-64k-debug-devel-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-64k-devel-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1 +12
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 10) kernel-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-64k-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-64k-core-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1 +29
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 10) kernel-tools-libs-devel-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, libperf-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 10) kernel-rt-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-64k-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-64k-core-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1 +21
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 10) kernel-rt-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-core-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1, kernel-rt-debug-6.12.0-124.8.1.el10_1 +9

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 10)Fixed RHSA-2025:20095
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 10)Fixed RHSA-2025:20095
Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 10)Fixed RHSA-2025:20095
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 10)Fixed RHSA-2025:20095
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 10)Fixed RHSA-2025:20095

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-38468
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-4mqg-q94g-wmfr
  3. 2026-11-05 CISA SSVC decision points changed

References

  • TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
  • 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
See all 15278 →

Sources