CVE-2025-38721
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
netfilter: ctnetlink: fix refcount leak on table dump
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.
Leer descripción completaMostrar menos
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.
Detalles técnicos trazas, registros y código del informe original
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;
...
One fix would to change this to:
if (res < 0) {
if (ct != last)
nf_conntrack_get(&ct->ct_general);CVSS
- Versión: 3.1
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- Puntuación base: 5.5
Probabilidad de explotación (EPSS)
- Probabilidad de explotación en los próximos 30 días: 0.17%
- Percentil entre todas las CVEs puntuadas: 6
- Fecha de la puntuación: 6/10/2026
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, de FIRST) estima la probabilidad de que una vulnerabilidad sea explotada en 30 días. Complementa a CVSS (impacto) y a CISA KEV (explotación confirmada).
Tecnologías afectadas (2)
CWE
- NVD-CWE-Other
Referencias
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/19b909a4b1452fb97e477d2f08b97f8d04095619
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/30cf811058552b8cd0e98dff677ef3f89d6d34ce
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/41462f4cfc583513833f87f9ee55d12da651a7e3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/586892e341fbf698e7cbaca293e1353957db725a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/962518c6ca9f9a13df099cafa429f72f68ad61f0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a2cb4df7872de069f809de2f076ec8e54d649fe3
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a62d6aa3f31f216b637a4c71b7a8bfc7c57f049b
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/de788b2e6227462b6dcd0e07474e72c089008f74
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e14f72aa66c029db106921d621edcedef68e065b
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00007.html
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00008.html
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-019113.html
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-032379.html
- https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-082556.html
JSON original (NVD)
Mostrar
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"value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnetfilter: ctnetlink: fix refcount leak on table dump\n\nThere is a reference count leak in ctnetlink_dump_table():\n if (res < 0) {\n nf_conntrack_get(&ct->ct_general); // HERE\n cb->args[1] = (unsigned long)ct;\n ...\n\nWhile its very unlikely, its possible that ct == last.\nIf this happens, then the refcount of ct was already incremented.\nThis 2nd increment is never undone.\n\nThis prevents the conntrack object from being released, which in turn\nkeeps prevents cnet->count from dropping back to 0.\n\nThis will then block the netns dismantle (or conntrack rmmod) as\nnf_conntrack_cleanup_net_list() will wait forever.\n\nThis can be reproduced by running conntrack_resize.sh selftest in a loop.\nIt takes ~20 minutes for me on a preemptible kernel on average before\nI see a runaway kworker spinning in nf_conntrack_cleanup_net_list.\n\nOne fix would to change this to:\n if (res < 0) {\n\t\tif (ct != last)\n\t nf_conntrack_get(&ct->ct_general);\n\nBut this reference counting isn't needed in the first place.\nWe can just store a cookie value instead.\n\nA followup patch will do the same for ctnetlink_exp_dump_table,\nit looks to me as if this has the same problem and like\nctnetlink_dump_table, we only need a 'skip hint', not the actual\nobject so we can apply the same cookie strategy there as well."
}
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