HIGH Introduced in 2.6.12
ipv4 RawSocket OOB
CVE-2026-64114
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
KernelScan AI7.8HIGH
01Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv4: raw: reject IP_HDRINCL packets with ihl < 5 raw_send_hdrinc() validates that the caller-supplied IPv4 header fits within the message length: iphlen = iph->ihl * 4; err = -EINVAL; if (iphlen > length) goto error_free; if (iphlen >= sizeof(*iph)) { /* fix up saddr, tot_len, id, csum, transport_header */ } It does not, however, reject ihl < 5. For such a packet the "if (iphlen >= sizeof(*iph))" branch is skipped, leaving the crafted iphdr untouched, but the packet is still handed to __ip_local_out() and onward. Downstream consumers that read iph->ihl assume a sane value: net/ipv4/ah4.c:ah_output() in particular subtracts sizeof(struct iphdr) from top_iph->ihl * 4 and passes the (signed-int-negative, then cast to size_t) result to memcpy(), producing an OOB access of length close to SIZE_MAX and a host kernel panic. An IPv4 header with ihl < 5 is malformed by definition (RFC 791: "Internet Header Length is the length of the internet header in 32 bit words ... Note that the minimum value for a correct header is 5."). The kernel should not be willing to inject such a packet into its own output path. Reject "iphlen < sizeof(*iph)" alongside the existing "iphlen > length" check. This matches the principle that locally constructed packets that re-enter the IP stack must pass the same basic sanity tests that a foreign packet would be subjected to. Once this lands, the "if (iphlen >= sizeof(*iph))" wrapper around the fixup branch becomes redundant; left in place to keep the patch minimal and backport-friendly. A follow-up can unwrap it. Note that commit 86f4c90a1c5c ("ipv4, ipv6: ensure raw socket message is big enough to hold an IP header") ensures the message buffer is large enough to hold an iphdr, but does not constrain the self-reported iph->ihl. Reachability: the malformed packet source is any caller with CAP_NET_RAW, including an unprivileged process in a user+net namespace on a kernel with CONFIG_USER_NS=y. The reproduced AH crash also requires a matching xfrm AH policy on the outgoing route; a container granted CAP_NET_ADMIN can install that state and policy in its netns. Loopback bypasses xfrm_output, so the trigger uses a real netdev. Reproduced on UML + KASAN: kernel-mode fault at addr 0x0 with memcpy_orig at the crash site. Same shape reproduces inside a rootless Docker container with --cap-add NET_ADMIN on a stock distro kernel.
02KernelScan AI Analysis
Risk summary
A local process with CAP_NET_RAW (obtainable in a user+network namespace without real root) can craft a raw IP packet with ihl < 5, causing a downstream memcpy in the AH/xfrm output path to receive a near-SIZE_MAX length argument, resulting in a massive out-of-bounds write and kernel panic. On kernels with CONFIG_USER_NS=y, an unprivileged user can trigger this from a rootless container with --cap-add NET_ADMIN. The impact is kernel memory corruption leading to a system crash or potential privilege escalation.
Vulnerability analysis
The root cause is missing input validation in raw_send_hdrinc() in net/ipv4/raw.c. When a raw socket sends a packet with IP_HDRINCL set, the function computes iphlen = iph->ihl * 4 and checks only that iphlen does not exceed the message length. It does not reject ihl < 5 (i.e., iphlen < sizeof(struct iphdr) = 20). Because iphlen < sizeof(*iph), the fixup branch is skipped and the malformed header passes through to __ip_local_out(). Downstream in net/ipv4/ah4.c:ah_output(), the code computes top_iph->ihl * 4 - sizeof(struct iphdr), which yields a negative signed integer that is then cast to size_t, producing a value near SIZE_MAX. This is passed as the length argument to memcpy(), causing a massive out-of-bounds write and kernel panic. The fix adds a single condition: reject the packet if iphlen < sizeof(*iph), alongside the existing iphlen > length check. The attack requires CAP_NET_RAW to open a raw socket and CAP_NET_ADMIN to install an xfrm AH policy; both are obtainable in a user+network namespace on kernels with CONFIG_USER_NS=y, making this reachable by unprivileged local users on typical distro kernels.
Lifecycle
03Fix Versions
| Branch | Introduced | Fixed in | Patch commit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.10 | 2.6.12 | 5.10.258 | 1065b9efa412 |
| 5.15 | 2.6.12 | 5.15.209 | bc20dbd48c26 |
| 6.1 | 2.6.12 | 6.1.175 | 5a564f737ec5 |
| 6.6 | 2.6.12 | 6.6.142 | 3c5411fa4944 |
| 6.12 | 2.6.12 | 6.12.92 | 145e9afa5b90 |
| 6.18 | 2.6.12 | 6.18.34 | 7725cd3b4717 |
| mainline | 2.6.12 | 7.1 | 915fab69823a |
| 7.0 | 2.6.12 | 7.0.11 | bbe0be67de29 |