Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
net/sched: bound qdisc_pkt_len to prevent qdisc soft lockup
qdisc_get_stab() accepts a user-supplied size table, and
__qdisc_calculate_pkt_len() amplifies qdisc_pkt_len() through the
overhead, the size-table data (u16), and size_log (up to
STAB_SIZE_LOG_MAX). A crafted stab can therefore set qdisc_pkt_len()
to ~1 GiB for an ordinary skb. Per-flow deficit schedulers such as
DRR and ETS replenish one quantum per loop iteration; with a tiny
quantum (1) they spin billions of times under the qdisc lock,
producing a soft lockup / RCU stall as illustrated by vega@nebusec.ai.
Cap the final qdisc_pkt_len() to QDISC_PKT_LEN_MAX so the size-table
amplification cannot drive deficit schedulers into an unbounded loop.
A legitimate size table (e.g. qfq's overhead 999999999, which is
handled by dropping) is still accepted.
Introduce cap QDISC_PKT_LEN_MAX (1 << 20) = 1 MiB which is well above
any legitimate single-skb wire length: the largest current skb->len
is GSO_MAX_SIZE (524280), and an ATM-style size table (53/48 cell tax)
amplifies that to ~578 KB, both comfortably below 1 MiB. At the same
time, 1 MiB bounds the deficit refill loop to ~1M iterations per
packet with quantum=1, which completes in a few milliseconds well
under the demonstrated softlockup threshold (~10^9 iterations).
Conditions to recreate the bug:
- CONFIG_NET_SCHED=y, CONFIG_NET_SCH_DRR=y (or CONFIG_NET_SCH_ETS=y).
- Attach a DRR (or ETS) root qdisc with a crafted TCA_STAB that
amplifies qdisc_pkt_len to ~1 GiB (e.g. size_log=15, data=[32768]).
- Add a class with a tiny quantum of 1 and send one small packet; the
deficit loop spins billions of times under the qdisc lock and trips
the softlockup detector (panic with kernel.softlockup_panic=1).
- Reachable as root or from an unprivileged user in a fresh user+net
namespace (unshare -Urn) with namespace-local CAP_NET_ADMIN.
net/sched: bound qdisc_pkt_len to prevent qdisc soft lockup
qdisc_get_stab() accepts a user-supplied size table, and
__qdisc_calculate_pkt_len() amplifies qdisc_pkt_len() through the
overhead, the size-table data (u16), and size_log (up to
STAB_SIZE_LOG_MAX). A crafted stab can therefore set qdisc_pkt_len()
to ~1 GiB for an ordinary skb. Per-flow deficit schedulers such as
DRR and ETS replenish one quantum per loop iteration; with a tiny
quantum (1) they spin billions of times under the qdisc lock,
producing a soft lockup / RCU stall as illustrated by vega@nebusec.ai.
Cap the final qdisc_pkt_len() to QDISC_PKT_LEN_MAX so the size-table
amplification cannot drive deficit schedulers into an unbounded loop.
A legitimate size table (e.g. qfq's overhead 999999999, which is
handled by dropping) is still accepted.
Introduce cap QDISC_PKT_LEN_MAX (1 << 20) = 1 MiB which is well above
any legitimate single-skb wire length: the largest current skb->len
is GSO_MAX_SIZE (524280), and an ATM-style size table (53/48 cell tax)
amplifies that to ~578 KB, both comfortably below 1 MiB. At the same
time, 1 MiB bounds the deficit refill loop to ~1M iterations per
packet with quantum=1, which completes in a few milliseconds well
under the demonstrated softlockup threshold (~10^9 iterations).
Conditions to recreate the bug:
- CONFIG_NET_SCHED=y, CONFIG_NET_SCH_DRR=y (or CONFIG_NET_SCH_ETS=y).
- Attach a DRR (or ETS) root qdisc with a crafted TCA_STAB that
amplifies qdisc_pkt_len to ~1 GiB (e.g. size_log=15, data=[32768]).
- Add a class with a tiny quantum of 1 and send one small packet; the
deficit loop spins billions of times under the qdisc lock and trips
the softlockup detector (panic with kernel.softlockup_panic=1).
- Reachable as root or from an unprivileged user in a fresh user+net
namespace (unshare -Urn) with namespace-local CAP_NET_ADMIN.
Published:
2026-09-17
Score:
n/a
EPSS:
n/a
KEV:
No
Impact:
n/a
Action:
n/a
Analysis
No analysis available yet.
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | unaffected |
|
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| Linux | Linux | affected |
|
No data.
No data.
No data available yet.
Remediation
No remediation available yet.
Tracking
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Advisories
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References
History
Thu, 17 Sep 2026 16:30:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/sched: bound qdisc_pkt_len to prevent qdisc soft lockup qdisc_get_stab() accepts a user-supplied size table, and __qdisc_calculate_pkt_len() amplifies qdisc_pkt_len() through the overhead, the size-table data (u16), and size_log (up to STAB_SIZE_LOG_MAX). A crafted stab can therefore set qdisc_pkt_len() to ~1 GiB for an ordinary skb. Per-flow deficit schedulers such as DRR and ETS replenish one quantum per loop iteration; with a tiny quantum (1) they spin billions of times under the qdisc lock, producing a soft lockup / RCU stall as illustrated by vega@nebusec.ai. Cap the final qdisc_pkt_len() to QDISC_PKT_LEN_MAX so the size-table amplification cannot drive deficit schedulers into an unbounded loop. A legitimate size table (e.g. qfq's overhead 999999999, which is handled by dropping) is still accepted. Introduce cap QDISC_PKT_LEN_MAX (1 << 20) = 1 MiB which is well above any legitimate single-skb wire length: the largest current skb->len is GSO_MAX_SIZE (524280), and an ATM-style size table (53/48 cell tax) amplifies that to ~578 KB, both comfortably below 1 MiB. At the same time, 1 MiB bounds the deficit refill loop to ~1M iterations per packet with quantum=1, which completes in a few milliseconds well under the demonstrated softlockup threshold (~10^9 iterations). Conditions to recreate the bug: - CONFIG_NET_SCHED=y, CONFIG_NET_SCH_DRR=y (or CONFIG_NET_SCH_ETS=y). - Attach a DRR (or ETS) root qdisc with a crafted TCA_STAB that amplifies qdisc_pkt_len to ~1 GiB (e.g. size_log=15, data=[32768]). - Add a class with a tiny quantum of 1 and send one small packet; the deficit loop spins billions of times under the qdisc lock and trips the softlockup detector (panic with kernel.softlockup_panic=1). - Reachable as root or from an unprivileged user in a fresh user+net namespace (unshare -Urn) with namespace-local CAP_NET_ADMIN. | |
| Title | net/sched: bound qdisc_pkt_len to prevent qdisc soft lockup | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
|
MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-09-17T16:05:43.184Z
Reserved: 2026-09-11T19:38:34.784Z
Link: CVE-2026-90058
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Received
Published: 2026-09-17T17:16:54.440
Modified: 2026-09-17T17:16:54.440
Link: CVE-2026-90058
Redhat
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
Weaknesses
No weakness.