KernelScan.io

HIGH

tcp Listener Race

CVE-2026-46015

CVSS 7.8 / 10.0 NVD

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

KernelScan AI7.5HIGH

01

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tcp: call sk_data_ready() after listener migration When inet_csk_listen_stop() migrates an established child socket from a closing listener to another socket in the same SO_REUSEPORT group, the target listener gets a new accept-queue entry via inet_csk_reqsk_queue_add(), but that path never notifies the target listener's waiters. A nonblocking accept() still works because it checks the queue directly, but poll()/epoll_wait() waiters and blocking accept() callers can also remain asleep indefinitely. Call READ_ONCE(nsk->sk_data_ready)(nsk) after a successful migration in inet_csk_listen_stop(). However, after inet_csk_reqsk_queue_add() succeeds, the ref acquired in reuseport_migrate_sock() is effectively transferred to nreq->rsk_listener. Another CPU can then dequeue nreq via accept() or listener shutdown, hit reqsk_put(), and drop that listener ref. Since listeners are SOCK_RCU_FREE, wrap the post-queue_add() dereferences of nsk in rcu_read_lock()/rcu_read_unlock(), which also covers the existing sock_net(nsk) access in that path. The reqsk_timer_handler() path does not need the same changes for two reasons: half-open requests become readable only after the final ACK, where tcp_child_process() already wakes the listener; and once nreq is visible via inet_ehash_insert(), the success path no longer touches nsk directly.

02

Engine v0.2.0

Risk summary

Applications using SO_REUSEPORT TCP listeners can experience indefinite blocking in accept() calls or poll/epoll operations when listener sockets are closed and migrated under connection load. This affects server applications that rely on these mechanisms for connection handling, potentially causing complete service unavailability. A remote attacker can trigger this by connecting to the service during listener migration, causing blocking waiters to remain asleep indefinitely even though connections are available in the accept queue.

Affectednet/ipv4/inet_connection_sock.c (TCP connection management)

Vulnerability analysis

The vulnerability is a race condition in TCP listener migration during socket closure. When inet_csk_listen_stop() migrates established child sockets from a closing listener to another socket in the same SO_REUSEPORT group, it adds the socket to the target listener's accept queue via inet_csk_reqsk_queue_add() but fails to notify waiters via sk_data_ready(). This causes blocking accept() calls and poll/epoll waiters to remain indefinitely blocked even though connections are available. The fix adds the missing sk_data_ready() notification and wraps the operation in RCU protection to prevent use-after-free of the target listener socket that could be freed by concurrent operations. The second issue (RCU protection) addresses a potential use-after-free race where another CPU could dequeue the request and drop the listener reference before the sk_data_ready() call completes.

03

BranchFixed inPatch commit
5.155.15.2097aa7933a5607
6.16.1.17514e9bb6eba8f
6.126.12.86bebd058ef40c
6.186.18.2783bb57635d7c
6.66.6.140ab5fdcd53564
7.07.0.412625b4da84c
mainline7.1-rc13864c6ba1e04