bpf: reject unhashed sockets in bpf_sk_assign
The semantics for bpf_sk_assign are as follows:
sk = some_lookup_func()
bpf_sk_assign(skb, sk)
bpf_sk_release(sk)
That is, the sk is not consumed by bpf_sk_assign. The function
therefore needs to make sure that sk lives long enough to be
consumed from __inet_lookup_skb. The path through the stack for a
TCPv4 packet is roughly:
netif_receive_skb_core: takes RCU read lock
__netif_receive_skb_core:
sch_handle_ingress:
tcf_classify:
bpf_sk_assign()
deliver_ptype_list_skb:
deliver_skb:
ip_packet_type->func == ip_rcv:
ip_rcv_core:
ip_rcv_finish_core:
dst_input:
ip_local_deliver:
ip_local_deliver_finish:
ip_protocol_deliver_rcu:
tcp_v4_rcv:
__inet_lookup_skb:
skb_steal_sock
The existing helper takes advantage of the fact that everything
happens in the same RCU critical section: for sockets with
SOCK_RCU_FREE set bpf_sk_assign never takes a reference.
skb_steal_sock then checks SOCK_RCU_FREE again and does sock_put
if necessary.
This approach assumes that SOCK_RCU_FREE is never set on a sk
between bpf_sk_assign and skb_steal_sock, but this invariant is
violated by unhashed UDP sockets. A new UDP socket is created
in TCP_CLOSE state but without SOCK_RCU_FREE set. That flag is only
added in udp_lib_get_port() which happens when a socket is bound.
When bpf_sk_assign was added it wasn't possible to access unhashed
UDP sockets from BPF, so this wasn't a problem. This changed
in commit 0c48eefae712 ("sock_map: Lift socket state restriction
for datagram sockets"), but the helper wasn't adjusted accordingly.
The following sequence of events will therefore lead to a refcount
leak:
1. Add socket(AF_INET, SOCK_DGRAM) to a sockmap.
2. Pull socket out of sockmap and bpf_sk_assign it. Since
SOCK_RCU_FREE is not set we increment the refcount.
3. bind() or connect() the socket, setting SOCK_RCU_FREE.
4. skb_steal_sock will now set refcounted = false due to
SOCK_RCU_FREE.
5. tcp_v4_rcv() skips sock_put().
Fix the problem by rejecting unhashed sockets in bpf_sk_assign().
This matches the behaviour of __inet_lookup_skb which is ultimately
the goal of bpf_sk_assign().
Analysis and contextual insights are available on OpenCVE Cloud.
No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.
Additional remediation guidance may be available on OpenCVE Cloud.
Tracking
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| Source | ID | Title |
|---|---|---|
EUVD |
EUVD-2023-60023 | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: reject unhashed sockets in bpf_sk_assign The semantics for bpf_sk_assign are as follows: sk = some_lookup_func() bpf_sk_assign(skb, sk) bpf_sk_release(sk) That is, the sk is not consumed by bpf_sk_assign. The function therefore needs to make sure that sk lives long enough to be consumed from __inet_lookup_skb. The path through the stack for a TCPv4 packet is roughly: netif_receive_skb_core: takes RCU read lock __netif_receive_skb_core: sch_handle_ingress: tcf_classify: bpf_sk_assign() deliver_ptype_list_skb: deliver_skb: ip_packet_type->func == ip_rcv: ip_rcv_core: ip_rcv_finish_core: dst_input: ip_local_deliver: ip_local_deliver_finish: ip_protocol_deliver_rcu: tcp_v4_rcv: __inet_lookup_skb: skb_steal_sock The existing helper takes advantage of the fact that everything happens in the same RCU critical section: for sockets with SOCK_RCU_FREE set bpf_sk_assign never takes a reference. skb_steal_sock then checks SOCK_RCU_FREE again and does sock_put if necessary. This approach assumes that SOCK_RCU_FREE is never set on a sk between bpf_sk_assign and skb_steal_sock, but this invariant is violated by unhashed UDP sockets. A new UDP socket is created in TCP_CLOSE state but without SOCK_RCU_FREE set. That flag is only added in udp_lib_get_port() which happens when a socket is bound. When bpf_sk_assign was added it wasn't possible to access unhashed UDP sockets from BPF, so this wasn't a problem. This changed in commit 0c48eefae712 ("sock_map: Lift socket state restriction for datagram sockets"), but the helper wasn't adjusted accordingly. The following sequence of events will therefore lead to a refcount leak: 1. Add socket(AF_INET, SOCK_DGRAM) to a sockmap. 2. Pull socket out of sockmap and bpf_sk_assign it. Since SOCK_RCU_FREE is not set we increment the refcount. 3. bind() or connect() the socket, setting SOCK_RCU_FREE. 4. skb_steal_sock will now set refcounted = false due to SOCK_RCU_FREE. 5. tcp_v4_rcv() skips sock_put(). Fix the problem by rejecting unhashed sockets in bpf_sk_assign(). This matches the behaviour of __inet_lookup_skb which is ultimately the goal of bpf_sk_assign(). |
Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Weaknesses | NVD-CWE-noinfo | |
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* |
Mon, 06 Oct 2025 22:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| References |
| |
| Metrics |
threat_severity
|
cvssV3_1
|
Mon, 06 Oct 2025 14:45:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
Sat, 04 Oct 2025 16:00:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: reject unhashed sockets in bpf_sk_assign The semantics for bpf_sk_assign are as follows: sk = some_lookup_func() bpf_sk_assign(skb, sk) bpf_sk_release(sk) That is, the sk is not consumed by bpf_sk_assign. The function therefore needs to make sure that sk lives long enough to be consumed from __inet_lookup_skb. The path through the stack for a TCPv4 packet is roughly: netif_receive_skb_core: takes RCU read lock __netif_receive_skb_core: sch_handle_ingress: tcf_classify: bpf_sk_assign() deliver_ptype_list_skb: deliver_skb: ip_packet_type->func == ip_rcv: ip_rcv_core: ip_rcv_finish_core: dst_input: ip_local_deliver: ip_local_deliver_finish: ip_protocol_deliver_rcu: tcp_v4_rcv: __inet_lookup_skb: skb_steal_sock The existing helper takes advantage of the fact that everything happens in the same RCU critical section: for sockets with SOCK_RCU_FREE set bpf_sk_assign never takes a reference. skb_steal_sock then checks SOCK_RCU_FREE again and does sock_put if necessary. This approach assumes that SOCK_RCU_FREE is never set on a sk between bpf_sk_assign and skb_steal_sock, but this invariant is violated by unhashed UDP sockets. A new UDP socket is created in TCP_CLOSE state but without SOCK_RCU_FREE set. That flag is only added in udp_lib_get_port() which happens when a socket is bound. When bpf_sk_assign was added it wasn't possible to access unhashed UDP sockets from BPF, so this wasn't a problem. This changed in commit 0c48eefae712 ("sock_map: Lift socket state restriction for datagram sockets"), but the helper wasn't adjusted accordingly. The following sequence of events will therefore lead to a refcount leak: 1. Add socket(AF_INET, SOCK_DGRAM) to a sockmap. 2. Pull socket out of sockmap and bpf_sk_assign it. Since SOCK_RCU_FREE is not set we increment the refcount. 3. bind() or connect() the socket, setting SOCK_RCU_FREE. 4. skb_steal_sock will now set refcounted = false due to SOCK_RCU_FREE. 5. tcp_v4_rcv() skips sock_put(). Fix the problem by rejecting unhashed sockets in bpf_sk_assign(). This matches the behaviour of __inet_lookup_skb which is ultimately the goal of bpf_sk_assign(). | |
| Title | bpf: reject unhashed sockets in bpf_sk_assign | |
| References |
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|
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2026-05-11T19:47:54.787Z
Reserved: 2025-10-04T15:40:38.477Z
Link: CVE-2023-53585
No data.
Status : Analyzed
Published: 2025-10-04T16:15:54.703
Modified: 2026-03-23T18:35:30.687
Link: CVE-2023-53585
OpenCVE Enrichment
Updated: 2025-10-06T14:41:30Z
EUVD