In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
net: ip_tunnel: prevent perpetual headroom growth
syzkaller triggered following kasan splat:
BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in __skb_flow_dissect+0x19d1/0x7a50 net/core/flow_dissector.c:1170
Read of size 1 at addr ffff88812fb4000e by task syz-executor183/5191
[..]
kasan_report+0xda/0x110 mm/kasan/report.c:588
__skb_flow_dissect+0x19d1/0x7a50 net/core/flow_dissector.c:1170
skb_flow_dissect_flow_keys include/linux/skbuff.h:1514 [inline]
___skb_get_hash net/core/flow_dissector.c:1791 [inline]
__skb_get_hash+0xc7/0x540 net/core/flow_dissector.c:1856
skb_get_hash include/linux/skbuff.h:1556 [inline]
ip_tunnel_xmit+0x1855/0x33c0 net/ipv4/ip_tunnel.c:748
ipip_tunnel_xmit+0x3cc/0x4e0 net/ipv4/ipip.c:308
__netdev_start_xmit include/linux/netdevice.h:4940 [inline]
netdev_start_xmit include/linux/netdevice.h:4954 [inline]
xmit_one net/core/dev.c:3548 [inline]
dev_hard_start_xmit+0x13d/0x6d0 net/core/dev.c:3564
__dev_queue_xmit+0x7c1/0x3d60 net/core/dev.c:4349
dev_queue_xmit include/linux/netdevice.h:3134 [inline]
neigh_connected_output+0x42c/0x5d0 net/core/neighbour.c:1592
...
ip_finish_output2+0x833/0x2550 net/ipv4/ip_output.c:235
ip_finish_output+0x31/0x310 net/ipv4/ip_output.c:323
..
iptunnel_xmit+0x5b4/0x9b0 net/ipv4/ip_tunnel_core.c:82
ip_tunnel_xmit+0x1dbc/0x33c0 net/ipv4/ip_tunnel.c:831
ipgre_xmit+0x4a1/0x980 net/ipv4/ip_gre.c:665
__netdev_start_xmit include/linux/netdevice.h:4940 [inline]
netdev_start_xmit include/linux/netdevice.h:4954 [inline]
xmit_one net/core/dev.c:3548 [inline]
dev_hard_start_xmit+0x13d/0x6d0 net/core/dev.c:3564
...
The splat occurs because skb->data points past skb->head allocated area.
This is because neigh layer does:
__skb_pull(skb, skb_network_offset(skb));
... but skb_network_offset() returns a negative offset and __skb_pull()
arg is unsigned. IOW, we skb->data gets "adjusted" by a huge value.
The negative value is returned because skb->head and skb->data distance is
more than 64k and skb->network_header (u16) has wrapped around.
The bug is in the ip_tunnel infrastructure, which can cause
dev->needed_headroom to increment ad infinitum.
The syzkaller reproducer consists of packets getting routed via a gre
tunnel, and route of gre encapsulated packets pointing at another (ipip)
tunnel. The ipip encapsulation finds gre0 as next output device.
This results in the following pattern:
1). First packet is to be sent out via gre0.
Route lookup found an output device, ipip0.
2).
ip_tunnel_xmit for gre0 bumps gre0->needed_headroom based on the future
output device, rt.dev->needed_headroom (ipip0).
3).
ip output / start_xmit moves skb on to ipip0. which runs the same
code path again (xmit recursion).
4).
Routing step for the post-gre0-encap packet finds gre0 as output device
to use for ipip0 encapsulated packet.
tunl0->needed_headroom is then incremented based on the (already bumped)
gre0 device headroom.
This repeats for every future packet:
gre0->needed_headroom gets inflated because previous packets' ipip0 step
incremented rt->dev (gre0) headroom, and ipip0 incremented because gre0
needed_headroom was increased.
For each subsequent packet, gre/ipip0->needed_headroom grows until
post-expand-head reallocations result in a skb->head/data distance of
more than 64k.
Once that happens, skb->network_header (u16) wraps around when
pskb_expand_head tries to make sure that skb_network_offset() is unchanged
after the headroom expansion/reallocation.
After this skb_network_offset(skb) returns a different (and negative)
result post headroom expansion.
The next trip to neigh layer (or anything else that would __skb_pull the
network header) makes skb->data point to a memory location outside
skb->head area.
v2: Cap the needed_headroom update to an arbitarily chosen upperlimit to
prevent perpetual increase instead of dropping the headroom increment
completely.
Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2024-26804 is a Linux kernel networking flaw in IP tunnel handling. Under specific tunnel-routing conditions, kernel packet buffer metadata can grow until it wraps and causes a use-after-free. The expected business impact is service instability or crash risk, not data theft, based on the provided CVSS and description.
Executive priority
Treat this as a scheduled but real infrastructure patching item. It is not supported as actively exploited in the provided sources, but affected tunnel-heavy Linux systems could face availability incidents. Prioritize internet-facing, production, and routing infrastructure first.
Technical view
The bug is in Linux ip_tunnel needed_headroom accounting. Recursive GRE/IPIP tunnel routing can inflate needed_headroom indefinitely; later skb head expansion can make skb->network_header wrap, producing a negative network offset and a use-after-free in flow dissection or neighboring-layer processing.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most relevant to Linux systems running affected kernel versions with IP tunnel features such as GRE or IPIP. The source lists affected Linux versions across 2.6.34 and multiple stable branches before their referenced fixes. Systems without such tunneling paths may have lower practical exposure.
Exploitation context
The public record describes discovery by syzkaller and provides a technical crash trace. The source bundle says KEV is false, and it provides no evidence of active exploitation. CVSS rates it network-reachable with no privileges or user interaction, but impact is limited to low availability.
Researcher notes
The root cause is unbounded tunnel needed_headroom growth across recursive tunnel output paths. The published fix caps needed_headroom updates rather than removing the increment. Evidence is strongest for availability impact; confidentiality and integrity impact are not supported by the provided CVSS data.
Mitigation direction
Apply Linux kernel or distribution updates containing the referenced stable fixes.
Check your distribution vendor advisory for the correct backported package version.
Prioritize externally reachable or production hosts using GRE/IPIP tunneling.
If no vendor fix is available, follow vendor guidance before changing tunnel behavior.
Validation and detection
Inventory Linux kernel versions against the affected and fixed ranges in the CVE record.
Identify hosts with GRE, IPIP, or related IP tunnel configurations.
Confirm installed kernel packages include the relevant stable backport or distro advisory fix.
Monitor kernel logs for networking KASAN, skb, or tunnel-related crash symptoms.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Potential ATT&CK relevance
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
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cwe · low confidence lookup
CWE-416: Exact CWE lookup
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CWE-416 · source CWE mapping
Use After Free
Use After Free represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.