CVE-2025-39852

net/tcp: Fix socket memory leak in TCP-AO failure handling for IPv6

Published Sep 19, 2025 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

net/tcp: Fix socket memory leak in TCP-AO failure handling for IPv6

When tcp_ao_copy_all_matching() fails in tcp_v6_syn_recv_sock() it just
exits the function. This ends up causing a memory-leak:

unreferenced object 0xffff0000281a8200 (size 2496):
comm "softirq", pid 0, jiffies 4295174684
hex dump (first 32 bytes):
7f 00 00 06 7f 00 00 06 00 00 00 00 cb a8 88 13 ................
0a 00 03 61 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ...a............
backtrace (crc 5ebdbe15):
kmemleak_alloc+0x44/0xe0
kmem_cache_alloc_noprof+0x248/0x470
sk_prot_alloc+0x48/0x120
sk_clone_lock+0x38/0x3b0
inet_csk_clone_lock+0x34/0x150
tcp_create_openreq_child+0x3c/0x4a8
tcp_v6_syn_recv_sock+0x1c0/0x620
tcp_check_req+0x588/0x790
tcp_v6_rcv+0x5d0/0xc18
ip6_protocol_deliver_rcu+0x2d8/0x4c0
ip6_input_finish+0x74/0x148
ip6_input+0x50/0x118
ip6_sublist_rcv+0x2fc/0x3b0
ipv6_list_rcv+0x114/0x170
__netif_receive_skb_list_core+0x16c/0x200
netif_receive_skb_list_internal+0x1f0/0x2d0

This is because in tcp_v6_syn_recv_sock (and the IPv4 counterpart), when
exiting upon error, inet_csk_prepare_forced_close() and tcp_done() need
to be called. They make sure the newsk will end up being correctly
free'd.

tcp_v4_syn_recv_sock() makes this very clear by having the put_and_exit
label that takes care of things. So, this patch here makes sure
tcp_v4_syn_recv_sock and tcp_v6_syn_recv_sock have similar
error-handling and thus fixes the leak for TCP-AO.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-6008-1 linux security update
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2025-30348 In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/tcp: Fix socket memory leak in TCP-AO failure handling for IPv6 When tcp_ao_copy_all_matching() fails in tcp_v6_syn_recv_sock() it just exits the function. This ends up causing a memory-leak: unreferenced object 0xffff0000281a8200 (size 2496): comm "softirq", pid 0, jiffies 4295174684 hex dump (first 32 bytes): 7f 00 00 06 7f 00 00 06 00 00 00 00 cb a8 88 13 ................ 0a 00 03 61 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ...a............ backtrace (crc 5ebdbe15): kmemleak_alloc+0x44/0xe0 kmem_cache_alloc_noprof+0x248/0x470 sk_prot_alloc+0x48/0x120 sk_clone_lock+0x38/0x3b0 inet_csk_clone_lock+0x34/0x150 tcp_create_openreq_child+0x3c/0x4a8 tcp_v6_syn_recv_sock+0x1c0/0x620 tcp_check_req+0x588/0x790 tcp_v6_rcv+0x5d0/0xc18 ip6_protocol_deliver_rcu+0x2d8/0x4c0 ip6_input_finish+0x74/0x148 ip6_input+0x50/0x118 ip6_sublist_rcv+0x2fc/0x3b0 ipv6_list_rcv+0x114/0x170 __netif_receive_skb_list_core+0x16c/0x200 netif_receive_skb_list_internal+0x1f0/0x2d0 This is because in tcp_v6_syn_recv_sock (and the IPv4 counterpart), when exiting upon error, inet_csk_prepare_forced_close() and tcp_done() need to be called. They make sure the newsk will end up being correctly free'd. tcp_v4_syn_recv_sock() makes this very clear by having the put_and_exit label that takes care of things. So, this patch here makes sure tcp_v4_syn_recv_sock and tcp_v6_syn_recv_sock have similar error-handling and thus fixes the leak for TCP-AO.
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8095-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8095-2 Linux kernel (FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8100-1 Linux kernel (NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8095-3 Linux kernel (Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8095-4 Linux kernel (AWS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8125-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8126-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8095-5 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8165-1 Linux kernel (Azure FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-8261-1 Linux kernel (Xilinx) 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-401
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.17:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-772
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

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/tcp: Fix socket memory leak in TCP-AO failure handling for IPv6 When tcp_ao_copy_all_matching() fails in tcp_v6_syn_recv_sock() it just exits the function. This ends up causing a memory-leak: unreferenced object 0xffff0000281a8200 (size 2496): comm "softirq", pid 0, jiffies 4295174684 hex dump (first 32 bytes): 7f 00 00 06 7f 00 00 06 00 00 00 00 cb a8 88 13 ................ 0a 00 03 61 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ...a............ backtrace (crc 5ebdbe15): kmemleak_alloc+0x44/0xe0 kmem_cache_alloc_noprof+0x248/0x470 sk_prot_alloc+0x48/0x120 sk_clone_lock+0x38/0x3b0 inet_csk_clone_lock+0x34/0x150 tcp_create_openreq_child+0x3c/0x4a8 tcp_v6_syn_recv_sock+0x1c0/0x620 tcp_check_req+0x588/0x790 tcp_v6_rcv+0x5d0/0xc18 ip6_protocol_deliver_rcu+0x2d8/0x4c0 ip6_input_finish+0x74/0x148 ip6_input+0x50/0x118 ip6_sublist_rcv+0x2fc/0x3b0 ipv6_list_rcv+0x114/0x170 __netif_receive_skb_list_core+0x16c/0x200 netif_receive_skb_list_internal+0x1f0/0x2d0 This is because in tcp_v6_syn_recv_sock (and the IPv4 counterpart), when exiting upon error, inet_csk_prepare_forced_close() and tcp_done() need to be called. They make sure the newsk will end up being correctly free'd. tcp_v4_syn_recv_sock() makes this very clear by having the put_and_exit label that takes care of things. So, this patch here makes sure tcp_v4_syn_recv_sock and tcp_v6_syn_recv_sock have similar error-handling and thus fixes the leak for TCP-AO.
Title net/tcp: Fix socket memory leak in TCP-AO failure handling for IPv6
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
May 11, 2026, 9:37 PM
Reserved
Apr 16, 2025, 7:20 AM
Status
Modified
Published
Sep 19, 2025, 4:15 PM
Modified
Oct 19, 2026, 9:10 PM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Sep 19, 2025, 12:00 AM