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TI-2026-18416 Aliases CVE-2026-22979GHSA-w4ch-7p82-3m56

net: fix memory leak in skb_segment_list for GRO packets

Priority LOW 24CWE-401Published · 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, 5 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: net: fix memory leak in skb_segment_list for GRO packets When skb_segment_list() is called during packet forwarding, it handles packets that were aggregated by the GRO engine. Historically, the segmentation logic in skb_segment_list assumes that individual segments are split from a parent SKB and may need to carry their own socket memory accounting. Accordingly, the code transfers truesize from the parent to the newly created segments. Prior to commit ed4cccef64c1 ("gro: fix ownership transfer"), this truesize subtraction in skb_segment_list() was valid because fragments still carry a reference to the original socket. However, commit ed4cccef64c1 ("gro: fix ownership transfer") changed this behavior by ensuring that fraglist entries are explicitly orphaned (skb->sk = NULL) to prevent illegal orphaning later in the stack. This change meant that the entire socket memory charge remained with the head SKB, but the corresponding accounting logic in skb_segment_list() was never updated. As a result, the current code unconditionally adds each fragment's truesize to delta_truesize and subtracts it from the parent SKB. Since the fragments are no longer charged to the socket, this subtraction results in an effective under-count of memory when the head is freed. This causes sk_wmem_alloc to remain non-zero, preventing socket destruction and leading to a persistent memory leak. The leak can be observed via KMEMLEAK when tearing down the networking environment: unreferenced object 0xffff8881e6eb9100 (size 2048): comm "ping", pid 6720, jiffies 4295492526 backtrace: kmem_cache_alloc_noprof+0x5c6/0x800 sk_prot_alloc+0x5b/0x220 sk_alloc+0x35/0xa00 inet6_create.part.0+0x303/0x10d0 __sock_create+0x248/0x640 __sys_socket+0x11b/0x1d0 Since skb_segment_list() is exclusively used for SKB_GSO_FRAGLIST packets constructed by GRO, the truesize adjustment is removed. The call to skb_release_head_state() must be preserved. As documented in commit cf673ed0e057 ("net: fix fraglist segmentation reference count leak"), it is still required to correctly drop references to SKB extensions that may be overwritten during __copy_skb_header().

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00142 3rd percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Linux (Linux): 6.1.161, 6.6.121, 5.16 +4Red Hat: 1 advisoryRed Hat: 5 fixed, 5 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
LinuxLinux6.1.85 to before 6.1.161; 6.6.26 to before 6.6.121; 5.15.154 to before 5.16; 6.8.5 to before 6.96.1.161, 6.6.121, 5.16, 6.9Patch availableCNA
LinuxLinux6.9 and later6.1.161, 6.6.121, 6.12.66, 6.18.6, 6.19Patch availableCNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.1.85 to before 6.1.161; 6.6.26 to before 6.6.121; 5.15.154 to before 5.16; 6.8.5 to before 6.9 Fixed in 6.1.161, 6.6.121, 5.16, 6.9 Patch available CNA
  • Linux VendorLinux Affected 6.9 and later Fixed in 6.1.161, 6.6.121, 6.12.66, 6.18.6, 6.19 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 11

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*5.15.154 to before 5.16; 6.1.85 to before 6.1.161; 6.6.26 to before 6.6.121; 6.8.5 to before 6.9; 6.9.1 to before 6.12.66; 6.13 to before 6.18.6VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:-:*:*:*:*:*:*6.9VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*6.9 rc3VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*6.9 rc4VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*6.9 rc5VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*6.9 rc6VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:*6.9 rc7VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*6.19 rc1VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*6.19 rc2VulnerableLinux
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*6.19 rc3VulnerableLinux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.15.154 to before 5.16; 6.1.85 to before 6.1.161; 6.6.26 to before 6.6.121; 6.8.5 to before 6.9; 6.9.1 to before 6.12.66; 6.13 to before 6.18.6 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.9 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.9 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.9 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.9 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.9 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.9:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.9 rc7 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
Show 1 more CPE
CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*6.19 rc4VulnerableLinux
  • cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.19:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.19 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.161, 6.6.121, 5.16, 6.9
  • Fix · CNA Linux (Linux) Fixed in 6.1.161, 6.6.121, 6.12.66, 6.18.6, 6.19

Red Hat 1 advisory

  • RHSA-2026:38491 Released 2026-07-13 · Red Hat rating Important
    kernel security, bug fix, and enhancement update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9) kernel-64k-debug-devel-5.14.0-687.25.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched-5.14.0-687.25.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-devel-5.14.0-687.25.1.el9_8 +12
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9) kernel-5.14.0-687.25.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-5.14.0-687.25.1.el9_8, kernel-64k-core-5.14.0-687.25.1.el9_8 +28
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9) kernel-tools-libs-devel-5.14.0-687.25.1.el9_8, libperf-5.14.0-687.25.1.el9_8
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-687.25.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-64k-5.14.0-687.25.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-64k-core-5.14.0-687.25.1.el9_8 +21
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9) kernel-rt-5.14.0-687.25.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-core-5.14.0-687.25.1.el9_8, kernel-rt-debug-5.14.0-687.25.1.el9_8 +9

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

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

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2026:38491
Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2026:38491
Red Hat Enterprise Linux CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2026:38491
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2026:38491
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Real Time for NFV (v. 9)Fixed RHSA-2026:38491

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-22979
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-w4ch-7p82-3m56
  3. 2026-10-15 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  4. 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