CVE-2026-22979

net: fix memory leak in skb_segment_list for GRO packets

MEDIUM
5.5
CVSS Score
Published: January 23, 2026 at 03:24 PM UTC
Updated: October 15, 2026 at 02:18 AM UTC
4 products affected across 2 vendorsLinux KernelSIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 Pn /dp MFP FirmwareSiplus S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 Pn /dp MFP Firmware

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Severity
MEDIUM5.5
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.1%

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: fix memory leak in skb_segment_list for GRO packets When skb_segment_list() is called during packet forwarding, it handles packets that were aggregated by the GRO engine. Historically, the segmentation logic in skb_segment_list assumes that individual segments are split from a parent SKB and may need to carry their own socket memory accounting. Accordingly, the code transfers truesize from the parent to the newly created segments. Prior to commit ed4cccef64c1 ("gro: fix ownership transfer"), this truesize subtraction in skb_segment_list() was valid because fragments still carry a reference to the original socket. However, commit ed4cccef64c1 ("gro: fix ownership transfer") changed this behavior by ensuring that fraglist entries are explicitly orphaned (skb->sk = NULL) to prevent illegal orphaning later in the stack. This change meant that the entire socket memory charge remained with the head SKB, but the corresponding accounting logic in skb_segment_list() was never updated. As a result, the current code unconditionally adds each fragment's truesize to delta_truesize and subtracts it from the parent SKB. Since the fragments are no longer charged to the socket, this subtraction results in an effective under-count of memory when the head is freed. This causes sk_wmem_alloc to remain non-zero, preventing socket destruction and leading to a persistent memory leak. The leak can be observed via KMEMLEAK when tearing down the networking environment: unreferenced object 0xffff8881e6eb9100 (size 2048): comm "ping", pid 6720, jiffies 4295492526 backtrace: kmem_cache_alloc_noprof+0x5c6/0x800 sk_prot_alloc+0x5b/0x220 sk_alloc+0x35/0xa00 inet6_create.part.0+0x303/0x10d0 __sock_create+0x248/0x640 __sys_socket+0x11b/0x1d0 Since skb_segment_list() is exclusively used for SKB_GSO_FRAGLIST packets constructed by GRO, the truesize adjustment is removed. The call to skb_release_head_state() must be preserved. As documented in commit cf673ed0e057 ("net: fix fraglist segmentation reference count leak"), it is still required to correctly drop references to SKB extensions that may be overwritten during __copy_skb_header().

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

5.15.154 ≤ v < 5.166.1.85 ≤ v < 6.1.1616.13 ≤ v < 6.18.66.6.26 ≤ v < 6.6.1216.8.5 ≤ v < 6.96.9.1 ≤ v < 6.12.662eeab8c47c3c0276e0746bc382f405c9a236a5ad5.15.1545b3b67f731296027cceb3efad881ae281213f86f6.1.856.196.19 rc16.19 rc26.19 rc36.19 rc46.6.266.8.56.96.9 rc36.9 rc46.9 rc56.9 rc66.9 rc7d225b0ac96dc40d7e8ae2bc227eb2c56e130975fed4cccef64c1d0d5b91e69f7a8a6697c3a865486fc126c1d51e9552eacd2d717b9ffe9262a8a4cd6
Vendor states this is fixed in 0b27828ebd1ed3107d7929c3737adbe862e99e74 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 238e03d0466239410b72294b79494e43d4fabe77 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 3264881431e308b9c72cb8a0159d57a56d67dd79 (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in 88bea149db2057112af3aaf63534b24fab5858ab (fixed)
Vendor states this is fixed in c114a32a2e70b82d447f409f7ffcfa3058f9d5bd (fixed)
Affected range stops below 5.16, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.1.161 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.12.66 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.18.6 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.19 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.6.121 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6.9 (unaffected)

CVSS

Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
LOW
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-401

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