Impact
The Linux kernel patch converts the IPv4 multicast source list from a spin‑lock protected structure into an RCU‑managed list. This change eliminates a use‑after‑free condition that could occur when iterating sources during concurrent deletions, and it removes the possibility of a recursive lockdep warning that could lead to a deadlock. The fix therefore protects the kernel against memory corruption and service disruption caused by malicious or malformed IGMP traffic.
Affected Systems
All Linux kernel releases that preceded the inclusion of commit 23d2b94043ca (the change that adds ip_mc_list locking and RCU conversion). The security advisory applies to any system running the kernel before the patch is applied. Vendor impact is limited to the generic Linux distribution kernel.
Risk and Exploitability
No CVSS score or EPSS information is available for this vulnerability, and it is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. However, the risk is non‑zero because an attacker that can influence IGMP routing paths or trigger the specific sequence of calls outlined in the description could force the kernel to execute a potentially fatal use‑after‑free or deadlock, leading to a denial of service. The defect requires only that the vulnerable kernel be running; no additional privilege is required for exploitation. The attack vector is inferred to be remote via the network stack, specifically by sending crafted IGMPv3 packets that activate the routing routine path that exercises ip_check_mc_rcu().
OpenCVE Enrichment