ipv4: Fix reference count leak when using error routes with nexthop objects
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: 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-401.
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv4: Fix reference count leak when using error routes with nexthop objects When a nexthop object is deleted, it is marked as dead and then fib_table_flush() is called to flush all the routes that are using the dead nexthop. The current logic in fib_table_flush() is to only flush error routes (e.g., blackhole) when it is called as part of network namespace dismantle (i.e., with flush_all=true). Therefore, error routes are not flushed when their nexthop object is deleted: # ip link add name dummy1 up type dummy # ip nexthop add id 1 dev dummy1 # ip route add 198.51.100.1/32 nhid 1 # ip route add blackhole 198.51.100.2/32 nhid 1 # ip nexthop del id 1 # ip route show blackhole 198.51.100.2 nhid 1 dev dummy1 As such, they keep holding a reference on the nexthop object which in turn holds a reference on the nexthop device, resulting in a reference count leak: # ip link del dev dummy1 [ 70.516258] unregister_netdevice: waiting for dummy1 to become free. Usage count = 2 Fix by flushing error routes when their nexthop is marked as dead. IPv6 does not suffer from this problem.
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 | 5.3 and later | 5.10.248, 5.15.198, 6.1.160, 6.6.120, 6.12.64, 6.18.4, 6.19 | Patch available | CNA |
- Linux VendorLinux Affected 5.3 and later Fixed in 5.10.248, 5.15.198, 6.1.160, 6.6.120, 6.12.64, 6.18.4, 6.19 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 10
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.3.1 to before 5.10.248; 5.11 to before 5.15.198; 5.16 to before 6.1.160; 6.2 to before 6.6.120; 6.7 to before 6.12.64; 6.13 to before 6.18.4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.3:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.19 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.19 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.19 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.19 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.19 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.19 rc6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.19 rc7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc8:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.19 rc8 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.3.1 to before 5.10.248; 5.11 to before 5.15.198; 5.16 to before 6.1.160; 6.2 to before 6.6.120; 6.7 to before 6.12.64; 6.13 to before 6.18.4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.3:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.19 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.19 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.19 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.19 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.19 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.19 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.19 rc7 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc8:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.19 rc8 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 5.10.248, 5.15.198, 6.1.160, 6.6.120, 6.12.64, 6.18.4, 6.19
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet |
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-71097
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-hc39-xg82-jgf4
- 2026-10-19 Weakness changed · CISA ADP
References
Patch 7
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5de7ad7e18356e39e8fbf7edd185a5faaf4f385a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/33ff5c207c873215e54e6176624ed57423cb7dea
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/30386e090c49e803c0616a7147e43409c32a2b0e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5979338c83012110ccd45cae6517591770bfe536
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ee4183501ea556dca31f5ffd8690aa9fd25b609f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e3fc381320d04e4a74311e576a86cac49a16fc43
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac782f4e3bfcde145b8a7f8af31d9422d94d172a
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- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2025-71097 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-71097 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-hc39-xg82-jgf4 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2025-71097 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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