In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
net/sched: flower: Fix chain template offload
When a qdisc is deleted from a net device the stack instructs the
underlying driver to remove its flow offload callback from the
associated filter block using the 'FLOW_BLOCK_UNBIND' command. The stack
then continues to replay the removal of the filters in the block for
this driver by iterating over the chains in the block and invoking the
'reoffload' operation of the classifier being used. In turn, the
classifier in its 'reoffload' operation prepares and emits a
'FLOW_CLS_DESTROY' command for each filter.
However, the stack does not do the same for chain templates and the
underlying driver never receives a 'FLOW_CLS_TMPLT_DESTROY' command when
a qdisc is deleted. This results in a memory leak [1] which can be
reproduced using [2].
Fix by introducing a 'tmplt_reoffload' operation and have the stack
invoke it with the appropriate arguments as part of the replay.
Implement the operation in the sole classifier that supports chain
templates (flower) by emitting the 'FLOW_CLS_TMPLT_{CREATE,DESTROY}'
command based on whether a flow offload callback is being bound to a
filter block or being unbound from one.
As far as I can tell, the issue happens since cited commit which
reordered tcf_block_offload_unbind() before tcf_block_flush_all_chains()
in __tcf_block_put(). The order cannot be reversed as the filter block
is expected to be freed after flushing all the chains.
[1]
unreferenced object 0xffff888107e28800 (size 2048):
comm "tc", pid 1079, jiffies 4294958525 (age 3074.287s)
hex dump (first 32 bytes):
b1 a6 7c 11 81 88 ff ff e0 5b b3 10 81 88 ff ff ..|......[......
01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 e0 aa b0 84 ff ff ff ff ................
backtrace:
[<ffffffff81c06a68>] __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x1e8/0x320
[<ffffffff81ab374e>] __kmalloc+0x4e/0x90
[<ffffffff832aec6d>] mlxsw_sp_acl_ruleset_get+0x34d/0x7a0
[<ffffffff832bc195>] mlxsw_sp_flower_tmplt_create+0x145/0x180
[<ffffffff832b2e1a>] mlxsw_sp_flow_block_cb+0x1ea/0x280
[<ffffffff83a10613>] tc_setup_cb_call+0x183/0x340
[<ffffffff83a9f85a>] fl_tmplt_create+0x3da/0x4c0
[<ffffffff83a22435>] tc_ctl_chain+0xa15/0x1170
[<ffffffff838a863c>] rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x3cc/0xed0
[<ffffffff83ac87f0>] netlink_rcv_skb+0x170/0x440
[<ffffffff83ac6270>] netlink_unicast+0x540/0x820
[<ffffffff83ac6e28>] netlink_sendmsg+0x8d8/0xda0
[<ffffffff83793def>] ____sys_sendmsg+0x30f/0xa80
[<ffffffff8379d29a>] ___sys_sendmsg+0x13a/0x1e0
[<ffffffff8379d50c>] __sys_sendmsg+0x11c/0x1f0
[<ffffffff843b9ce0>] do_syscall_64+0x40/0xe0
unreferenced object 0xffff88816d2c0400 (size 1024):
comm "tc", pid 1079, jiffies 4294958525 (age 3074.287s)
hex dump (first 32 bytes):
40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 57 f6 38 be 00 00 00 00 @.......W.8.....
10 04 2c 6d 81 88 ff ff 10 04 2c 6d 81 88 ff ff ..,m......,m....
backtrace:
[<ffffffff81c06a68>] __kmem_cache_alloc_node+0x1e8/0x320
[<ffffffff81ab36c1>] __kmalloc_node+0x51/0x90
[<ffffffff81a8ed96>] kvmalloc_node+0xa6/0x1f0
[<ffffffff82827d03>] bucket_table_alloc.isra.0+0x83/0x460
[<ffffffff82828d2b>] rhashtable_init+0x43b/0x7c0
[<ffffffff832aed48>] mlxsw_sp_acl_ruleset_get+0x428/0x7a0
[<ffffffff832bc195>] mlxsw_sp_flower_tmplt_create+0x145/0x180
[<ffffffff832b2e1a>] mlxsw_sp_flow_block_cb+0x1ea/0x280
[<ffffffff83a10613>] tc_setup_cb_call+0x183/0x340
[<ffffffff83a9f85a>] fl_tmplt_create+0x3da/0x4c0
[<ffffffff83a22435>] tc_ctl_chain+0xa15/0x1170
[<ffffffff838a863c>] rtnetlink_rcv_msg+0x3cc/0xed0
[<ffffffff83ac87f0>] netlink_rcv_skb+0x170/0x440
[<ffffffff83ac6270>] netlink_unicast+0x540/0x820
[<ffffffff83ac6e28>] netlink_sendmsg+0x8d8/0xda0
[<ffffffff83793def>] ____sys_sendmsg+0x30f/0xa80
[2]
# tc qdisc add dev swp1 clsact
# tc chain add dev swp1 ingress proto ip chain 1 flower dst_ip 0.0.0.0/32
# tc qdisc del dev
---truncated---
Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2024-26669 is a Linux kernel memory leak in traffic-control offload handling. When certain flower classifier chain templates are removed during qdisc deletion, the driver is not told to destroy template offload state. Impact appears primarily availability-related, not data theft, and no cited source reports active exploitation.
Executive priority
Prioritize through normal kernel maintenance unless exposed systems delegate traffic-control changes to tenants or automation at scale. Escalate if network infrastructure relies heavily on tc flower offload, because repeated leaks can degrade availability.
Technical view
The kernel fails to replay FLOW_CLS_TMPLT_DESTROY on FLOW_BLOCK_UNBIND for flower chain templates. The fix adds a tmplt_reoffload operation so bind and unbind paths emit template create or destroy callbacks. The supplied trace shows leaked mlxsw flower template and rhashtable allocations after tc-driven qdisc deletion.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Linux systems using traffic control flower classifier chain templates with driver offload support. The supplied reproducer uses tc, so practical triggering likely requires privileges capable of changing network qdiscs and chains. General Linux hosts not using this feature have lower practical exposure.
Exploitation context
CISA KEV status is false in the bundle, and no supplied source claims exploitation in the wild. The public description includes a truncated reproducer, but the evidence supports a memory leak condition rather than remote code execution or privilege escalation.
Researcher notes
The source attributes the regression to ordering around tcf_block_offload_unbind and tcf_block_flush_all_chains. Evidence is limited to kernel commit text, affected version metadata, and a memory-leak trace. CVSS, CWE, package-level fixed versions, and exploitability analysis are not provided.
Mitigation direction
Update to a kernel or distribution package containing the referenced stable fixes.
Check vendor kernel advisories for backported CVE-2024-26669 status.
Limit traffic-control administration to trusted users and automation.
Reduce or avoid flower chain template offload use where operationally feasible.
Validation and detection
Inventory Linux kernel versions and vendor backport status.
Check whether flower classifier chain templates and hardware offload are used.
Confirm the relevant stable commits are present in the deployed kernel source or changelog.
Review kernel logs and memory monitoring for unexplained leaks during qdisc lifecycle operations.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Potential ATT&CK relevance
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