net: fix memory leak in skb_segment_list for GRO packets
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
CVE-2026-22979
Primary source · Revision 1
Imported from structured advisory data. Source references identify upstream records or fields; verify affected versions and your deployed configuration.
Security context
Source reference: cve:CVE-2026-22979
Linux
Source reference: /containers/cna/affected/0/product
- Affected versions
- Not stated in this record
- Fixed versions
- Not stated in this record
- Prerequisites
- Not stated in this record
Linux
Source reference: /containers/cna/affected/1/product
- Affected versions
- Not stated in this record
- Fixed versions
- Not stated in this record
- Prerequisites
- Not stated in this record
Structured affected-version data
Original package identities and version rules from this source.
[
{
"repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
"vendor": "Linux",
"product": "Linux",
"versions": [
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "2eeab8c47c3c0276e0746bc382f405c9a236a5ad",
"lessThan": "0b27828ebd1ed3107d7929c3737adbe862e99e74",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "fc126c1d51e9552eacd2d717b9ffe9262a8a4cd6",
"lessThan": "88bea149db2057112af3aaf63534b24fab5858ab",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "ed4cccef64c1d0d5b91e69f7a8a6697c3a865486",
"lessThan": "3264881431e308b9c72cb8a0159d57a56d67dd79",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "ed4cccef64c1d0d5b91e69f7a8a6697c3a865486",
"lessThan": "c114a32a2e70b82d447f409f7ffcfa3058f9d5bd",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "ed4cccef64c1d0d5b91e69f7a8a6697c3a865486",
"lessThan": "238e03d0466239410b72294b79494e43d4fabe77",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "d225b0ac96dc40d7e8ae2bc227eb2c56e130975f",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "5b3b67f731296027cceb3efad881ae281213f86f",
"versionType": "git"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "6.1.85",
"lessThan": "6.1.161",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "6.6.26",
"lessThan": "6.6.121",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "5.15.154",
"lessThan": "5.16",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "6.8.5",
"lessThan": "6.9",
"versionType": "semver"
}
],
"programFiles": [
"net/core/skbuff.c"
],
"defaultStatus": "unaffected"
},
{
"repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git",
"vendor": "Linux",
"product": "Linux",
"versions": [
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "6.9"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "0",
"lessThan": "6.9",
"versionType": "semver"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.1.161",
"versionType": "semver",
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.1.*"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.6.121",
"versionType": "semver",
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.6.*"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.12.66",
"versionType": "semver",
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.12.*"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.18.6",
"versionType": "semver",
"lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*"
},
{
"status": "unaffected",
"version": "6.19",
"versionType": "original_commit_for_fix",
"lessThanOrEqual": "*"
}
],
"programFiles": [
"net/core/skbuff.c"
],
"defaultStatus": "affected"
}
]- Related CVEs
- CVE-2026-22979
Source reference:
/cveMetadata/cveId
Publisher severity
No explicit severity was provided.
- Event
- #27191 · Revision 1
- Added to Heist Feed
- Publisher date