Linux Kernel up to 6.11.10/6.12.1 Routing Table fib6_select_path infinite loop

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as critical has been detected in Linux Kernel up to 6.11.10/6.12.1. This impacts the function fib6_select_path of the component Routing Table Handler. Performing a manipulation results in infinite loop. This vulnerability was named CVE-2024-56703. There is no available exploit. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Linux Kernel up to 6.11.10/6.12.1. This affects the function fib6_select_path of the component Routing Table Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a infinite loop vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-835. The product contains an iteration or loop with an exit condition that cannot be reached, i.e., an infinite loop. This is going to have an impact on availability. The summary by CVE is:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv6: Fix soft lockups in fib6_select_path under high next hop churn Soft lockups have been observed on a cluster of Linux-based edge routers located in a highly dynamic environment. Using the `bird` service, these routers continuously update BGP-advertised routes due to frequently changing nexthop destinations, while also managing significant IPv6 traffic. The lockups occur during the traversal of the multipath circular linked-list in the `fib6_select_path` function, particularly while iterating through the siblings in the list. The issue typically arises when the nodes of the linked list are unexpectedly deleted concurrently on a different core—indicated by their 'next' and 'previous' elements pointing back to the node itself and their reference count dropping to zero. This results in an infinite loop, leading to a soft lockup that triggers a system panic via the watchdog timer. Apply RCU primitives in the problematic code sections to resolve the issue. Where necessary, update the references to fib6_siblings to annotate or use the RCU APIs. Include a test script that reproduces the issue. The script periodically updates the routing table while generating a heavy load of outgoing IPv6 traffic through multiple iperf3 clients. It consistently induces infinite soft lockups within a couple of minutes. Kernel log: 0 [ffffbd13003e8d30] machine_kexec at ffffffff8ceaf3eb 1 [ffffbd13003e8d90] __crash_kexec at ffffffff8d0120e3 2 [ffffbd13003e8e58] panic at ffffffff8cef65d4 3 [ffffbd13003e8ed8] watchdog_timer_fn at ffffffff8d05cb03 4 [ffffbd13003e8f08] __hrtimer_run_queues at ffffffff8cfec62f 5 [ffffbd13003e8f70] hrtimer_interrupt at ffffffff8cfed756 6 [ffffbd13003e8fd0] __sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt at ffffffff8cea01af 7 [ffffbd13003e8ff0] sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt at ffffffff8df1b83d -- -- 8 [ffffbd13003d3708] asm_sysvec_apic_timer_interrupt at ffffffff8e000ecb [exception RIP: fib6_select_path+299] RIP: ffffffff8ddafe7b RSP: ffffbd13003d37b8 RFLAGS: 00000287 RAX: ffff975850b43600 RBX: ffff975850b40200 RCX: 0000000000000000 RDX: 000000003fffffff RSI: 0000000051d383e4 RDI: ffff975850b43618 RBP: ffffbd13003d3800 R8: 0000000000000000 R9: ffff975850b40200 R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000000 R12: ffffbd13003d3830 R13: ffff975850b436a8 R14: ffff975850b43600 R15: 0000000000000007 ORIG_RAX: ffffffffffffffff CS: 0010 SS: 0018 9 [ffffbd13003d3808] ip6_pol_route at ffffffff8ddb030c 10 [ffffbd13003d3888] ip6_pol_route_input at ffffffff8ddb068c 11 [ffffbd13003d3898] fib6_rule_lookup at ffffffff8ddf02b5 12 [ffffbd13003d3928] ip6_route_input at ffffffff8ddb0f47 13 [ffffbd13003d3a18] ip6_rcv_finish_core.constprop.0 at ffffffff8dd950d0 14 [ffffbd13003d3a30] ip6_list_rcv_finish.constprop.0 at ffffffff8dd96274 15 [ffffbd13003d3a98] ip6_sublist_rcv at ffffffff8dd96474 16 [ffffbd13003d3af8] ipv6_list_rcv at ffffffff8dd96615 17 [ffffbd13003d3b60] __netif_receive_skb_list_core at ffffffff8dc16fec 18 [ffffbd13003d3be0] netif_receive_skb_list_internal at ffffffff8dc176b3 19 [ffffbd13003d3c50] napi_gro_receive at ffffffff8dc565b9 20 [ffffbd13003d3c80] ice_receive_skb at ffffffffc087e4f5 [ice] 21 [ffffbd13003d3c90] ice_clean_rx_irq at ffffffffc0881b80 [ice] 22 [ffffbd13003d3d20] ice_napi_poll at ffffffffc088232f [ice] 23 [ffffbd13003d3d80] __napi_poll at ffffffff8dc18000 24 [ffffbd13003d3db8] net_rx_action at ffffffff8dc18581 25 [ffffbd13003d3e40] __do_softirq at ffffffff8df352e9 26 [ffffbd13003d3eb0] run_ksoftirqd at ffffffff8ceffe47 27 [ffffbd13003d3ec0] smpboot_thread_fn at ffffffff8cf36a30 28 [ffffbd13003d3ee8] kthread at ffffffff8cf2b39f 29 [ffffbd13003d3f28] ret_from_fork at ffffffff8ce5fa64 30 [ffffbd13003d3f50] ret_from_fork_asm at ffffffff8ce03cbb

It is possible to read the advisory at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2024-56703 since 12/27/2024. Technical details of the vulnerability are known, but there is no available exploit.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 215144 (Debian dsa-5860 : affs-modules-6.1.0-21-4kc-malta-di - security update), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.11.11 or 6.12.2 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 11edcd026012ac18acee0f1514db3ed1b160fc6f/34a949e7a0869dfa31a40416d2a56973fae1807b/d9ccb18f83ea2bb654289b6ecf014fd267cc988b is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (215144) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2025-1439). Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

Affected

• SUSE Linux
• Dell Secure Connect Gateway

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.11.0
• 6.11.1
• 6.11.2
• 6.11.3
• 6.11.4
• 6.11.5
• 6.11.6
• 6.11.7
• 6.11.8
• 6.11.9
• 6.11.10
• 6.12.0
• 6.12.1

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Entryinfo

Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.

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