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CVE Record

CVE-2025-68241: ipv4: route: Prevent rt_bind_exception() from rebinding stale fnhe

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv4: route: Prevent rt_bind_exception() from rebinding stale fnhe The sit driver's packet transmission path calls: sit_tunnel_xmit() -> update_or_create_fnhe(), which lead to fnhe_remove_oldest() being called to delete entries exceeding FNHE_RECLAIM_DEPTH+random. The race window is between fnhe_remove_oldest() selecting fnheX for deletion and the subsequent kfree_rcu(). During this time, the concurrent path's __mkroute_output() -> find_exception() can fetch the soon-to-be-deleted fnheX, and rt_bind_exception() then binds it with a new dst using a dst_hold(). When the original fnheX is freed via RCU, the dst reference remains permanently leaked. CPU 0 CPU 1 __mkroute_output() find_exception() [fnheX] update_or_create_fnhe() fnhe_remove_oldest() [fnheX] rt_bind_exception() [bind dst] RCU callback [fnheX freed, dst leak] This issue manifests as a device reference count leak and a warning in dmesg when unregistering the net device: unregister_netdevice: waiting for sitX to become free. Usage count = N Ido Schimmel provided the simple test validation method [1]. The fix clears 'oldest->fnhe_daddr' before calling fnhe_flush_routes(). Since rt_bind_exception() checks this field, setting it to zero prevents the stale fnhe from being reused and bound to a new dst just before it is freed. [1] ip netns add ns1 ip -n ns1 link set dev lo up ip -n ns1 address add 192.0.2.1/32 dev lo ip -n ns1 link add name dummy1 up type dummy ip -n ns1 route add 192.0.2.2/32 dev dummy1 ip -n ns1 link add name gretap1 up arp off type gretap \ local 192.0.2.1 remote 192.0.2.2 ip -n ns1 route add 198.51.0.0/16 dev gretap1 taskset -c 0 ip netns exec ns1 mausezahn gretap1 \ -A 198.51.100.1 -B 198.51.0.0/16 -t udp -p 1000 -c 0 -q & taskset -c 2 ip netns exec ns1 mausezahn gretap1 \ -A 198.51.100.1 -B 198.51.0.0/16 -t udp -p 1000 -c 0 -q & sleep 10 ip netns pids ns1 | xargs kill ip netns del ns1

HighCVSS 7.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A Linux IPv4 routing race can permanently leak network-device references during tunnel-related traffic. Affected systems may fail to remove a network interface and emit repeated waiting warnings, disrupting network cleanup and availability. The supplied CVSS score is 7.5, with no indicated confidentiality or integrity impact.

Executive priority

Treat as a high-priority availability issue for tunnel-heavy hosts, network appliances, and infrastructure where interface teardown reliability matters. Patch through normal emergency kernel processes after compatibility testing. Lower the priority for systems demonstrably lacking the affected code path or already carrying a vendor backport.

Technical view

A stale fib next-hop exception can be selected for deletion while another CPU finds and rebinds it to a new destination entry. RCU later frees the exception but leaves the destination reference held. The kernel fix clears fnhe_daddr before flushing routes, causing rt_bind_exception() to reject the stale entry.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most plausible on affected Linux kernels using relevant IPv4 tunnel and routing paths under concurrent traffic. The bundle lists several affected kernel versions, but distribution kernels may backport fixes without changing their headline version; confirm using vendor build and patch metadata.

Exploitation context

The CVSS vector describes network-reachable, unauthenticated triggering with low complexity and high availability impact. However, the bundle marks KEV false and provides no evidence of active exploitation, public weaponization, or reliable remote exploitation outside controlled validation.

Researcher notes

The reported failure is a reference leak, not memory corruption or data disclosure. The race spans fnhe_remove_oldest(), find_exception(), rt_bind_exception(), and deferred RCU freeing. Exact real-world reachability depends on tunnel configuration, routing state, concurrency, and vendor kernel backports; the supplied evidence does not establish exploitation in the wild.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade to a vendor-supported kernel containing the applicable upstream stable fix.
  • Check distribution advisories and build metadata because vendors may backport the patch.
  • Prioritize systems using IPv4 tunnels or frequently creating and removing network interfaces.
  • Where immediate patching is impossible, reduce unnecessary exposure of affected tunnel paths.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory running kernel builds and identify systems using IPv4 tunnel interfaces.
  • Confirm the installed build includes the applicable stable fix or vendor backport.
  • Review kernel logs for unregister_netdevice waiting warnings involving tunnel devices.
  • Regression-test tunnel interface teardown under controlled concurrent traffic after patching.
  • Verify affected interfaces unregister normally and reference counts do not remain elevated.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
10

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

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CVE-2025-68241 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.5 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
9Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.5CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H3.93.6Linux

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.5High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2025-68241Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinuxe46e23c289f62ccd8e2230d9ce652072d777ff30, 5867e20e1808acd0c832ddea2587e5ee49813874, 67d6d681e15b578c1725bad8ad079e05d1c48a8e, 67d6d681e15b578c1725bad8ad079e05d1c48a8e, 67d6d681e15b578c1725bad8ad079e05d1c48a8e, 67d6d681e15b578c1725bad8ad079e05d1c48a8e, 67d6d681e15b578c1725bad8ad079e05d1c48a8e, 67d6d681e15b578c1725bad8ad079e05d1c48a8e, bed8941fbdb72a61f6348c4deb0db69c4de87aca, f10ce783bcc4d8ea454563a7d56ae781640e7dcb, f484595be6b7ef9d095a32becabb5dae8204fb2a, 3e6bd2b583f18da9856fc9741ffa200a74a52cba, 5ae06218331f39ec45b5d039aa7cb3ddd4bb8008, 4589a12dcf80af31137ef202be1ff4a321707a73, 5.4.146, 5.10.65, 4.4.284, 4.9.283, 4.14.247, 4.19.207, 5.13.17, 5.14.4unaffected
LinuxLinux5.15, 0, 5.4.302, 5.10.247, 5.15.197, 6.1.159, 6.6.117, 6.12.59, 6.17.9, 6.18affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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