CVE-2025-39764

netfilter: ctnetlink: remove refcounting in expectation dumpers

Published Sep 11, 2025 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

netfilter: ctnetlink: remove refcounting in expectation dumpers

Same pattern as previous patch: do not keep the expectation object
alive via refcount, only store a cookie value and then use that
as the skip hint for dump resumption.

AFAICS this has the same issue as the one resolved in the conntrack
dumper, when we do
if (!refcount_inc_not_zero(&exp->use))

to increment the refcount, there is a chance that exp == last, which
causes a double-increment of the refcount and subsequent memory leak.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4561-1 linux-6.1 security update
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4606-1 linux security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6238-1 linux security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6243-1 linux security update
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2025-28948 In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: ctnetlink: remove refcounting in expectation dumpers Same pattern as previous patch: do not keep the expectation object alive via refcount, only store a cookie value and then use that as the skip hint for dump resumption. AFAICS this has the same issue as the one resolved in the conntrack dumper, when we do if (!refcount_inc_not_zero(&exp->use)) to increment the refcount, there is a chance that exp == last, which causes a double-increment of the refcount and subsequent memory leak.
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8567-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8574-1 Linux kernel (GCP FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8575-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8576-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA Tegra) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8574-2 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8595-1 Linux kernel (Oracle) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8596-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8575-2 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8576-2 Linux kernel (NVIDIA Tegra) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8597-1 Linux kernel (IBM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8575-3 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8595-2 Linux kernel (AWS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8606-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8607-1 Linux kernel (Azure CVM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8608-1 Linux kernel (Azure FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8609-1 Linux kernel (Azure CVM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8610-1 Linux kernel (Azure CVM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8574-3 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8595-3 Linux kernel (AWS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8619-1 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8620-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8620-2 Linux kernel (Azure FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8620-3 Linux kernel (Intel IoTG) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8620-4 Linux kernel (Intel IoTG) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8665-1 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8668-1 Linux kernel (GCP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8668-2 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-366
CWE-415
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses NVD-CWE-Other
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Low

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: ctnetlink: remove refcounting in expectation dumpers Same pattern as previous patch: do not keep the expectation object alive via refcount, only store a cookie value and then use that as the skip hint for dump resumption. AFAICS this has the same issue as the one resolved in the conntrack dumper, when we do if (!refcount_inc_not_zero(&exp->use)) to increment the refcount, there is a chance that exp == last, which causes a double-increment of the refcount and subsequent memory leak.
Title netfilter: ctnetlink: remove refcounting in expectation dumpers
References

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Nov 10, 2026, 12:36 PM
Reserved
Apr 16, 2025, 7:20 AM
Status
Modified
Published
Sep 11, 2025, 5:15 PM
Modified
Nov 10, 2026, 1:17 PM
Severity
Low
Public date
Sep 11, 2025, 12:00 AM