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net: fix memory leak in skb_segment_list for GRO packets

Type: advisorySource: Official CVE List1 source record

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

Announced Source revision 1
Original source ↗

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
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Publisher date
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