{"dataType": "CVE_RECORD", "dataVersion": "5.2", "cveMetadata": {"cveId": "CVE-2026-22979", "assignerOrgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "state": "PUBLISHED", "assignerShortName": "Linux", "dateReserved": "2026-01-13T15:37:45.936Z", "datePublished": "2026-01-23T15:24:01.340Z", "dateUpdated": "2026-05-11T21:57:39.072Z"}, "containers": {"cna": {"providerMetadata": {"orgId": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "shortName": "Linux", "dateUpdated": "2026-05-11T21:57:39.072Z"}, "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:\n\nnet: fix memory leak in skb_segment_list for GRO packets\n\nWhen skb_segment_list() is called during packet forwarding, it handles\npackets that were aggregated by the GRO engine.\n\nHistorically, the segmentation logic in skb_segment_list assumes that\nindividual segments are split from a parent SKB and may need to carry\ntheir own socket memory accounting. Accordingly, the code transfers\ntruesize from the parent to the newly created segments.\n\nPrior to commit ed4cccef64c1 (\"gro: fix ownership transfer\"), this\ntruesize subtraction in skb_segment_list() was valid because fragments\nstill carry a reference to the original socket.\n\nHowever, commit ed4cccef64c1 (\"gro: fix ownership transfer\") changed\nthis behavior by ensuring that fraglist entries are explicitly\norphaned (skb->sk = NULL) to prevent illegal orphaning later in the\nstack. This change meant that the entire socket memory charge remained\nwith the head SKB, but the corresponding accounting logic in\nskb_segment_list() was never updated.\n\nAs a result, the current code unconditionally adds each fragment's\ntruesize to delta_truesize and subtracts it from the parent SKB. Since\nthe fragments are no longer charged to the socket, this subtraction\nresults in an effective under-count of memory when the head is freed.\nThis causes sk_wmem_alloc to remain non-zero, preventing socket\ndestruction and leading to a persistent memory leak.\n\nThe leak can be observed via KMEMLEAK when tearing down the networking\nenvironment:\n\nunreferenced object 0xffff8881e6eb9100 (size 2048):\n comm \"ping\", pid 6720, jiffies 4295492526\n backtrace:\n kmem_cache_alloc_noprof+0x5c6/0x800\n sk_prot_alloc+0x5b/0x220\n sk_alloc+0x35/0xa00\n inet6_create.part.0+0x303/0x10d0\n __sock_create+0x248/0x640\n __sys_socket+0x11b/0x1d0\n\nSince skb_segment_list() is exclusively used for SKB_GSO_FRAGLIST\npackets constructed by GRO, the truesize adjustment is removed.\n\nThe call to skb_release_head_state() must be preserved. As documented in\ncommit cf673ed0e057 (\"net: fix fraglist segmentation reference count\nleak\"), it is still required to correctly drop references to SKB\nextensions that may be overwritten during __copy_skb_header()."}], "affected": [{"product": "Linux", "vendor": "Linux", "defaultStatus": "unaffected", "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git", "programFiles": ["net/core/skbuff.c"], "versions": [{"version": "2eeab8c47c3c0276e0746bc382f405c9a236a5ad", "lessThan": "0b27828ebd1ed3107d7929c3737adbe862e99e74", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git"}, {"version": "fc126c1d51e9552eacd2d717b9ffe9262a8a4cd6", "lessThan": "88bea149db2057112af3aaf63534b24fab5858ab", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git"}, {"version": "ed4cccef64c1d0d5b91e69f7a8a6697c3a865486", "lessThan": "3264881431e308b9c72cb8a0159d57a56d67dd79", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git"}, {"version": "ed4cccef64c1d0d5b91e69f7a8a6697c3a865486", "lessThan": "c114a32a2e70b82d447f409f7ffcfa3058f9d5bd", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git"}, {"version": "ed4cccef64c1d0d5b91e69f7a8a6697c3a865486", "lessThan": "238e03d0466239410b72294b79494e43d4fabe77", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git"}, {"version": "d225b0ac96dc40d7e8ae2bc227eb2c56e130975f", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git"}, {"version": "5b3b67f731296027cceb3efad881ae281213f86f", "status": "affected", "versionType": "git"}]}, {"product": "Linux", "vendor": "Linux", "defaultStatus": "affected", "repo": "https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git", "programFiles": ["net/core/skbuff.c"], "versions": [{"version": "6.9", "status": "affected"}, {"version": "0", "lessThan": "6.9", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver"}, {"version": "6.1.161", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.1.*", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver"}, {"version": "6.6.121", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.6.*", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver"}, {"version": "6.12.66", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.12.*", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver"}, {"version": "6.18.6", "lessThanOrEqual": "6.18.*", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "semver"}, {"version": "6.19", "lessThanOrEqual": "*", "status": "unaffected", "versionType": "original_commit_for_fix"}]}], "cpeApplicability": [{"nodes": [{"operator": "OR", "negate": false, "cpeMatch": [{"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.1.85", "versionEndExcluding": "6.1.161"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.6.26", "versionEndExcluding": "6.6.121"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.9", "versionEndExcluding": "6.12.66"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.9", "versionEndExcluding": "6.18.6"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.9", "versionEndExcluding": "6.19"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "5.15.154"}, {"vulnerable": true, "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "versionStartIncluding": "6.8.5"}]}]}], "references": [{"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0b27828ebd1ed3107d7929c3737adbe862e99e74"}, {"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/88bea149db2057112af3aaf63534b24fab5858ab"}, {"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3264881431e308b9c72cb8a0159d57a56d67dd79"}, {"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c114a32a2e70b82d447f409f7ffcfa3058f9d5bd"}, {"url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/238e03d0466239410b72294b79494e43d4fabe77"}], "title": "net: fix memory leak in skb_segment_list for GRO packets", "x_generator": {"engine": "bippy-1.2.0"}}}}

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Accordingly, the code transfers\ntruesize from the parent to the newly created segments.\n\nPrior to commit ed4cccef64c1 (\"gro: fix ownership transfer\"), this\ntruesize subtraction in skb_segment_list() was valid because fragments\nstill carry a reference to the original socket.\n\nHowever, commit ed4cccef64c1 (\"gro: fix ownership transfer\") changed\nthis behavior by ensuring that fraglist entries are explicitly\norphaned (skb->sk = NULL) to prevent illegal orphaning later in the\nstack. This change meant that the entire socket memory charge remained\nwith the head SKB, but the corresponding accounting logic in\nskb_segment_list() was never updated.\n\nAs a result, the current code unconditionally adds each fragment's\ntruesize to delta_truesize and subtracts it from the parent SKB. Since\nthe fragments are no longer charged to the socket, this subtraction\nresults in an effective under-count of memory when the head is freed.\nThis causes sk_wmem_alloc to remain non-zero, preventing socket\ndestruction and leading to a persistent memory leak.\n\nThe leak can be observed via KMEMLEAK when tearing down the networking\nenvironment:\n\nunreferenced object 0xffff8881e6eb9100 (size 2048):\n comm \"ping\", pid 6720, jiffies 4295492526\n backtrace:\n kmem_cache_alloc_noprof+0x5c6/0x800\n sk_prot_alloc+0x5b/0x220\n sk_alloc+0x35/0xa00\n inet6_create.part.0+0x303/0x10d0\n __sock_create+0x248/0x640\n __sys_socket+0x11b/0x1d0\n\nSince skb_segment_list() is exclusively used for SKB_GSO_FRAGLIST\npackets constructed by GRO, the truesize adjustment is removed.\n\nThe call to skb_release_head_state() must be preserved. As documented in\ncommit cf673ed0e057 (\"net: fix fraglist segmentation reference count\nleak\"), it is still required to correctly drop references to SKB\nextensions that may be overwritten during __copy_skb_header()."}], "id": "CVE-2026-22979", "lastModified": "2026-02-26T23:37:06.353", "metrics": {"cvssMetricV31": [{"cvssData": {"attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackVector": "LOCAL", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "baseScore": 5.5, "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "confidentialityImpact": "NONE", "integrityImpact": "NONE", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "scope": "UNCHANGED", "userInteraction": "NONE", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H", "version": "3.1"}, "exploitabilityScore": 1.8, "impactScore": 3.6, "source": "nvd@nist.gov", "type": "Primary"}]}, "published": "2026-01-23T16:15:53.893", "references": [{"source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "tags": ["Patch"], "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0b27828ebd1ed3107d7929c3737adbe862e99e74"}, {"source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "tags": ["Patch"], "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/238e03d0466239410b72294b79494e43d4fabe77"}, {"source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "tags": ["Patch"], "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3264881431e308b9c72cb8a0159d57a56d67dd79"}, {"source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "tags": ["Patch"], "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/88bea149db2057112af3aaf63534b24fab5858ab"}, {"source": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "tags": ["Patch"], "url": "https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/c114a32a2e70b82d447f409f7ffcfa3058f9d5bd"}], "sourceIdentifier": "416baaa9-dc9f-4396-8d5f-8c081fb06d67", "vulnStatus": "Analyzed", "weaknesses": [{"description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-401"}], "source": "nvd@nist.gov", "type": "Primary"}]}

{"bugzilla": {"description": "kernel: net: fix memory leak in skb_segment_list for GRO packets", "id": "2432402", "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2432402"}, "csaw": false, "cvss3": {"cvss3_base_score": "5.5", "cvss3_scoring_vector": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H", "status": "draft"}, "details": ["No description is available for this CVE."], "name": "CVE-2026-22979", "package_state": [{"cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:10", "fix_state": "Fix deferred", "package_name": "kernel", "product_name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10"}, {"cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:6", "fix_state": "Out of support scope", "package_name": "kernel", "product_name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6"}, {"cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7", "fix_state": "Not affected", "package_name": "kernel", "product_name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7"}, {"cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7", "fix_state": "Not affected", "package_name": "kernel-rt", "product_name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7"}, {"cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8", "fix_state": "Fix deferred", "package_name": "kernel", "product_name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8"}, {"cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8", "fix_state": "Fix deferred", "package_name": "kernel-rt", "product_name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8"}, {"cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9", "fix_state": "Fix deferred", "package_name": "kernel", "product_name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9"}, {"cpe": "cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9", "fix_state": "Fix deferred", "package_name": "kernel-rt", "product_name": "Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9"}], "public_date": "2026-01-23T00:00:00Z", "references": ["https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-22979\nhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-22979\nhttps://lore.kernel.org/linux-cve-announce/2026012347-CVE-2026-22979-b883@gregkh/T"], "threat_severity": "Low"}

{"analysis": {"en": {"generated_at": "2026-04-18T19:52:32.426867+00:00", "value": {"mitigation_remediation": ["Apply a recent Linux kernel update that includes the commit restoring correct truesize handling in skb_segment_list() (which implements the revert of the ownership transfer logic).", "Verify that the updated kernel also incorporates the reference\u2011count fix for fragment segmentation (cf673ed0e057) to ensure proper cleanup of SKB extensions.", "After applying the patch, reboot the system or restart network services to clear the leak counter and confirm that the memory leak is resolved."], "summary": {"action": "Patch", "impact": "Memory Leak"}, "threat_synthesis": {"affected_systems": "This flaw affects the Linux kernel, vendor Linux, specifically kernel versions 6.9 (including release candidates rc1 through rc7) and 6.19 (rc1 through rc4). Users should verify that their installed kernel contains the relevant code paths and has applied the fix that restores correct truesize handling in skb_segment_list() .", "description_and_impact": "The Linux kernel networking module includes a memory leak (CWE\u2011401) in the skb_segment_list() function when handling packets aggregated by the Generic Receive Offload (GRO) engine. The function incorrectly subtracts the truesize of each fragment packet from the parent socket\u2019s memory counter even though the fragments are no longer charged to the socket. This miscount causes sk_wmem_alloc to remain non\u2011zero after the socket is freed, preventing socket destruction and resulting in a persistent leak of kernel memory.", "risk_and_exploitability": "The likely attack vector is network traffic that causes the kernel's GRO engine to process packets, potentially triggered by an attacker sending specially crafted packets. The CVSS score is 5.5, indicating moderate severity, and the EPSS score is less than 1%, which suggests a very low probability of exploitation at any given time. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. The flaw does not provide direct code execution or immediate denial of service, but it may result in gradual kernel memory exhaustion if left unpatched."}}}}, "created": "2026-04-18T20:00:09.297992+00:00", "updated": "2026-04-18T20:00:09.298003+00:00", "vendors": []}