In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
af_unix: Clear stale u->oob_skb.
syzkaller started to report deadlock of unix_gc_lock after commit 4090fa373f0e ("af_unix: Replace garbage collection algorithm."), but it just uncovers the bug that has been there since commit 314001f0bf92 ("af_unix: Add OOB support").
The repro basically does the following.
from socket import * from array import array
c1, c2 = socketpair(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM) c1.sendmsg([b'a'], [(SOL_SOCKET, SCM_RIGHTS, array("i", [c2.fileno()]))], MSG_OOB) c2.recv(1) # blocked as no normal data in recv queue
c2.close() # done async and unblock recv() c1.close() # done async and trigger GC
A socket sends its file descriptor to itself as OOB data and tries to receive normal data, but finally recv() fails due to async close().
The problem here is wrong handling of OOB skb in manage_oob(). When recvmsg() is called without MSG_OOB, manage_oob() is called to check if the peeked skb is OOB skb. In such a case, manage_oob() pops it out of the receive queue but does not clear unix_sock(sk)->oob_skb. This is wrong in terms of uAPI.
Let's say we send "hello" with MSG_OOB, and "world" without MSG_OOB. The 'o' is handled as OOB data. When recv() is called twice without MSG_OOB, the OOB data should be lost.
>>> from socket import * >>> c1, c2 = socketpair(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0) >>> c1.send(b'hello', MSG_OOB) # 'o' is OOB data 5 >>> c1.send(b'world') 5 >>> c2.recv(5) # OOB data is not received b'hell' >>> c2.recv(5) # OOB date is skipped b'world' >>> c2.recv(5, MSG_OOB) # This should return an error b'o'
In the same situation, TCP actually returns -EINVAL for the last recv().
Also, if we do not clear unix_sk(sk)->oob_skb, unix_poll() always set EPOLLPRI even though the data has passed through by previous recv().
To avoid these issues, we must clear unix_sk(sk)->oob_skb when dequeuing it from recv queue.
The reason why the old GC did not trigger the deadlock is because the old GC relied on the receive queue to detect the loop.
When it is triggered, the socket with OOB data is marked as GC candidate because file refcount == inflight count (1). However, after traversing all inflight sockets, the socket still has a positive inflight count (1), thus the socket is excluded from candidates. Then, the old GC lose the chance to garbage-collect the socket.
With the old GC, the repro continues to create true garbage that will never be freed nor detected by kmemleak as it's linked to the global inflight list. That's why we couldn't even notice the issue.
CVSS Details
- CVSS 3.1 Base Score: 6.3
- CVSS 3.1 Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L)
Covered by Rapid7
| Product | Vendor Advisory | Solution File | Added | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux Ami 2 | — | Upgrade kernel-develUpgrade kernel-livepatch-5.15.156-102.160Upgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64Upgrade kernelUpgrade bpftoolUpgrade python-perfUpgrade kernel-toolsUpgrade perf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade kernel-tools-debuginfoUpgrade perfUpgrade kernel-debuginfoUpgrade python-perf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-tools-develUpgrade kernel-headersUpgrade bpftool-debuginfo | May 22, 2025 | May 20, 2024 |
| Amazon_linux_2023 | — | Upgrade kernel-headersUpgrade kernel-livepatch-6.1.87-99.174Upgrade kernel-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-tools-debuginfoUpgrade kernelUpgrade kernel-modules-extraUpgrade bpftool-debuginfoUpgrade python3-perf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-libbpf-staticUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade bpftoolUpgrade kernel-libbpf-develUpgrade perf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-modules-extra-commonUpgrade perfUpgrade python3-perfUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64Upgrade kernel-libbpfUpgrade kernel-tools-develUpgrade kernel-toolsUpgrade kernel-devel | Jun 11, 2025 | May 20, 2024 |
| Debian | — | Upgrade linux | Jul 30, 2024 | May 20, 2024 |
| Redhat_linux | — | No solution exists | Jul 9, 2025 | May 20, 2024 |
| Suse | — | Upgrade cluster-md-kmp-rtUpgrade kselftests-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-defaultUpgrade dtb-alteraUpgrade kernel-default-baseUpgrade kernel-devel-rtUpgrade dtb-nvidiaUpgrade kernel-azureUpgrade kernel-debug-vdsoUpgrade kernel-debug-develUpgrade kernel-default-livepatchUpgrade kernel-rt_debug-develUpgrade kernel-64kb-extraUpgrade kernel-azure-optionalUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-64kbUpgrade kernel-source-rtUpgrade dtb-hisiliconUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-64kbUpgrade dtb-rockchipUpgrade dtb-sprdUpgrade dtb-amdUpgrade dtb-freescaleUpgrade dlm-kmp-64kbUpgrade kernel-obs-buildUpgrade kernel-develUpgrade dtb-broadcomUpgrade dlm-kmp-rtUpgrade dtb-xilinxUpgrade dtb-renesasUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-defaultUpgrade kernel-rt_debug-livepatch-develUpgrade gfs2-kmp-azureUpgrade dtb-lgUpgrade kernel-rt-optionalUpgrade kernel-default-vdsoUpgrade kernel-64kb-develUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-64kbUpgrade kselftests-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-source-vanillaUpgrade kernel-default-livepatch-develUpgrade kernel-default-optionalUpgrade dtb-caviumUpgrade kernel-rt-extraUpgrade gfs2-kmp-defaultUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-defaultUpgrade kselftests-kmp-64kbUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-rt-develUpgrade kernel-debugUpgrade dtb-allwinnerUpgrade kernel-kvmsmallUpgrade kernel-default-extraUpgrade dtb-mediatekUpgrade dtb-qcomUpgrade dtb-amazonUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-azure-livepatch-develUpgrade dtb-marvellUpgrade dtb-exynosUpgrade kernel-sourceUpgrade kernel-kvmsmall-livepatch-develUpgrade kernel-64kbUpgrade kernel-default-base-rebuildUpgrade kernel-syms-rtUpgrade kernel-debug-livepatch-develUpgrade gfs2-kmp-64kbUpgrade kselftests-kmp-defaultUpgrade kernel-rt-livepatch-develUpgrade dtb-socionextUpgrade dtb-appleUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-azure-vdsoUpgrade dtb-armUpgrade dtb-apmUpgrade dtb-amlogicUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-kvmsmall-develUpgrade dlm-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-docs-htmlUpgrade kernel-64kb-optionalUpgrade kernel-docsUpgrade kernel-azure-develUpgrade kernel-rt_debug-vdsoUpgrade kernel-devel-azureUpgrade kernel-rt_debugUpgrade kernel-obs-qaUpgrade kernel-source-azureUpgrade kernel-default-develUpgrade kernel-symsUpgrade dlm-kmp-defaultUpgrade kernel-macrosUpgrade kernel-64kb-livepatch-develUpgrade kernel-zfcpdumpUpgrade kernel-azure-extraUpgrade gfs2-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-rt-vdsoUpgrade kernel-kvmsmall-vdsoUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-syms-azureUpgrade kernel-rtUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-default | Jul 23, 2024 | May 20, 2024 |
| Ubuntu | — | Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1065-awsUpgrade linux-image-raspiUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1064-gcpUpgrade linux-image-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1060-intel-iotgUpgrade linux-image-azure-fdeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1008-ibmUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-38-genericUpgrade linux-image-ibm-classicUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1009-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-116-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-gkeopUpgrade linux-image-generic-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-116-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1060-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-virtual-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1009-nvidia-64kUpgrade linux-image-oem-20.04dUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1008-oemUpgrade linux-image-azureUpgrade linux-image-azure-lts-22.04Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1058-raspiUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1008-oracleUpgrade linux-image-oem-20.04bUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1010-gcpUpgrade linux-image-intelUpgrade linux-image-gkeop-5.15Upgrade linux-image-ibmUpgrade linux-image-gke-5.15Upgrade linux-image-oem-20.04cUpgrade linux-image-oem-24.04Upgrade linux-image-gcpUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1068-azure-fdeUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-116-generic-lpaeUpgrade linux-image-genericUpgrade linux-image-generic-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-xilinx-zynqmpUpgrade linux-image-oem-24.04aUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-64kUpgrade linux-image-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1062-kvmUpgrade linux-image-intel-iotgUpgrade linux-image-azure-fde-lts-22.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-38-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-generic-64k-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-38-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-kvmUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-116-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-38-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-oracle-lts-22.04Upgrade linux-image-generic-64k-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-lowlatency-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-ibm-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-116-genericUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1006-gkeUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1062-gkeUpgrade linux-image-aws-lts-22.04Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1048-gkeopUpgrade linux-image-azure-cvmUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1068-azureUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1065-gcpUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64k-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-oem-20.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1010-azureUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1010-azure-fdeUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-oracleUpgrade linux-image-gkeUpgrade linux-image-raspi-nolpaeUpgrade linux-image-generic-lpae-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1011-awsUpgrade linux-image-awsUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1007-intelUpgrade linux-image-gcp-lts-22.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1007-raspiUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1058-ibmUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1008-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-generic-lpaeUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1060-nvidia-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-virtual-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-virtualUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1035-xilinx-zynqmpUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1063-oracle | Jul 12, 2024 | May 20, 2024 |
| Vmware Photon_os | — | Use 'tdnf update' to upgrade all packages to the latest version. | Oct 14, 2025 | May 20, 2024 |
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