CVE-2025-21864: tcp: drop secpath at the same time as we currently drop dst

Published Mar 12, 2025
·
Updated

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

tcp: drop secpath at the same time as we currently drop dst

Xiumei reported hitting the WARN in xfrm6tunnelnetexit while running tests that boil down to: - create a pair of netns - run a basic TCP test over ipcomp6 - delete the pair of netns

The xfrmstate found on spibyaddr was not deleted at the time we delete the netns, because we still have a reference on it. This lingering reference comes from a secpath (which holds a ref on the xfrmstate), which is still attached to an skb. This skb is not leaked, it ends up on skreceivequeue and then gets defer-free'd by skbattemptdeferfree.

The problem happens when we defer freeing an skb (push it on one CPU's deferlist), and don't flush that list before the netns is deleted. In that case, we still have a reference on the xfrmstate that we don't expect at this point.

We already drop the skb's dst in the TCP receive path when it's no longer needed, so let's also drop the secpath. At this point, tcpfilter has already called into the LSM hooks that may require the secpath, so it should not be needed anymore. However, in some of those places, the MPTCP extension has just been attached to the skb, so we cannot simply drop all extensions.

Affected Software

14 affected componentsFixes available
Linux Linux kernel
Microsoft azl3 kernel 6.6.78.1-3
Microsoft azl3 kernel 6.6.82.1-1
Linux Linux kernel>=5.19<6.1.130
Linux Linux kernel>=6.2<6.6.80
Linux Linux kernel>=6.7<6.12.17
Linux Linux kernel>=6.13<6.13.5
Linux Linux kernel=6.14-rc1
Linux Linux kernel=6.14-rc2
Linux Linux kernel=6.14-rc3
IBM Verify Identity Access<=11.0 - 11.0.2
IBM Security Verify Access<=10.0 - 10.0.9.1
IBM Verify Identity Access Container<=11.0 - 11.0.2
IBM Security Verify Access Container<=10.0 - 10.0.9.1

Event History

Mar 12, 2025
CVE Published
via MITRE·09:42 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·09:42 AM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·10:15 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·12:23 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Apr 9, 2025
Data Sourced
via Microsoft·07:00 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via Microsoft·07:00 AM
Affected Software
Updated
via Microsoft·07:00 AM
Affected Software
Updated
via Microsoft·07:00 AM
DescriptionSeverity
Jul 8, 2026
Data Sourced
via IBM·12:00 AM
DescriptionAffected Software

Parent advisories

This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.

Free Weekly Intel

Don't miss critical vulnerabilities

Join thousands of security professionals who receive our weekly digest of trending CVEs, zero-days, and exploited vulnerabilities.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2025-21864?

CVE-2025-21864 has been classified as a medium severity vulnerability due to its potential impact on TCP communications in specific network namespaces.

2

How do I fix CVE-2025-21864?

To fix CVE-2025-21864, update your Linux kernel to the latest stable version that includes the security patch for this vulnerability.

3

What types of systems are affected by CVE-2025-21864?

CVE-2025-21864 affects systems running vulnerable versions of the Linux kernel that utilize TCP over specific network namespaces.

4

What are the potential impacts of CVE-2025-21864?

The potential impacts of CVE-2025-21864 include disruptions in TCP connections, specifically when managing network namespaces.

5

Who reported CVE-2025-21864?

CVE-2025-21864 was reported by an individual named Xiumei while conducting tests on the Linux kernel.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203