Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

ipv4: stop PMTU walk when nexthop group shrinks

Commit 7d3f3b4367f3 ("net: ipv4: Cache pmtu for all packet paths if
multipath enabled") made __ip_rt_update_pmtu() update every path.

For nexthop objects, fib_info_num_path() and fib_info_nhc()
independently load nh->nh_grp. RCU protects each group's lifetime but
does not make the loads observe the same group. If replacement shrinks
the group after the loop accepts an index, fib_info_nhc() returns NULL
and update_or_create_fnhe() dereferences it.

A deterministic probe only widened the existing window between the real
operations. On v7.2, an RTM_NEWNEXTHOP replacement published a
one-member group after the PMTU reader accepted index 1 from a two-member
group, producing:

KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000000-0x0000000000000007]
RIP: update_or_create_fnhe+0x45/0x15b0

Stop when the indexed path is absent. Groups are dense, so no later
index exists in that snapshot. The same real-writer window completed
114,423 PMTU iterations without an oops with this check. A reproducer
is available on request.

Replacement requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in the network namespace. Where
unprivileged user namespaces are permitted, a local user can obtain it
in a new user and network namespace.
Published: 2026-10-23
Score: n/a
EPSS: n/a
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

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Remediation

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History

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 12:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv4: stop PMTU walk when nexthop group shrinks Commit 7d3f3b4367f3 ("net: ipv4: Cache pmtu for all packet paths if multipath enabled") made __ip_rt_update_pmtu() update every path. For nexthop objects, fib_info_num_path() and fib_info_nhc() independently load nh->nh_grp. RCU protects each group's lifetime but does not make the loads observe the same group. If replacement shrinks the group after the loop accepts an index, fib_info_nhc() returns NULL and update_or_create_fnhe() dereferences it. A deterministic probe only widened the existing window between the real operations. On v7.2, an RTM_NEWNEXTHOP replacement published a one-member group after the PMTU reader accepted index 1 from a two-member group, producing: KASAN: null-ptr-deref in range [0x0000000000000000-0x0000000000000007] RIP: update_or_create_fnhe+0x45/0x15b0 Stop when the indexed path is absent. Groups are dense, so no later index exists in that snapshot. The same real-writer window completed 114,423 PMTU iterations without an oops with this check. A reproducer is available on request. Replacement requires CAP_NET_ADMIN in the network namespace. Where unprivileged user namespaces are permitted, a local user can obtain it in a new user and network namespace.
Title ipv4: stop PMTU walk when nexthop group shrinks
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Subscriptions

Linux Linux Kernel
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-10-23T12:23:17.866Z

Reserved: 2026-09-25T10:25:14.389Z

Link: CVE-2026-99074

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-10-23T13:17:31.397

Modified: 2026-10-23T13:17:31.397

Link: CVE-2026-99074

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses

No weakness.