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-debuginfo-common-aarch64Upgrade python-perfUpgrade kernelUpgrade kernel-develUpgrade kernel-livepatch-5.15.156-102.160Upgrade kernel-toolsUpgrade bpftoolUpgrade kernel-tools-develUpgrade python-perf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-headersUpgrade bpftool-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade perfUpgrade kernel-tools-debuginfoUpgrade perf-debuginfo | May 22, 2025 | May 20, 2024 |
| Amazon_linux_2023 | — | Upgrade python3-perfUpgrade kernel-tools-develUpgrade kernel-develUpgrade kernel-modules-extra-commonUpgrade kernel-libbpfUpgrade kernel-toolsUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-aarch64Upgrade perfUpgrade perf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-debuginfoUpgrade kernelUpgrade kernel-headersUpgrade kernel-livepatch-6.1.87-99.174Upgrade python3-perf-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-libbpf-staticUpgrade bpftool-debuginfoUpgrade bpftoolUpgrade kernel-modules-extraUpgrade kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64Upgrade kernel-tools-debuginfoUpgrade kernel-libbpf-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 kernel-default-livepatchUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-rtUpgrade dlm-kmp-64kbUpgrade kernel-debug-develUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-obs-buildUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-64kbUpgrade dtb-caviumUpgrade kernel-default-optionalUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-64kbUpgrade kselftests-kmp-rtUpgrade dtb-hisiliconUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-defaultUpgrade kernel-rt-extraUpgrade kernel-default-baseUpgrade kernel-devel-rtUpgrade kernel-debug-vdsoUpgrade kernel-default-livepatch-develUpgrade kernel-source-vanillaUpgrade kernel-source-rtUpgrade kselftests-kmp-azureUpgrade gfs2-kmp-defaultUpgrade kernel-azureUpgrade dtb-broadcomUpgrade kernel-debugUpgrade dtb-sprdUpgrade kernel-64kb-develUpgrade dtb-rockchipUpgrade dtb-allwinnerUpgrade dtb-alteraUpgrade dtb-xilinxUpgrade dtb-nvidiaUpgrade kernel-rt_debug-livepatch-develUpgrade dtb-renesasUpgrade kernel-rt-develUpgrade kernel-rt_debug-develUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-64kbUpgrade kselftests-kmp-64kbUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-defaultUpgrade dlm-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-azure-optionalUpgrade kernel-develUpgrade kernel-defaultUpgrade dtb-freescaleUpgrade dtb-amdUpgrade kernel-rt-optionalUpgrade dtb-lgUpgrade kernel-64kb-extraUpgrade gfs2-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-default-vdsoUpgrade dtb-amazonUpgrade kernel-default-develUpgrade kernel-syms-rtUpgrade kernel-docs-htmlUpgrade dlm-kmp-defaultUpgrade kernel-macrosUpgrade kernel-symsUpgrade kernel-source-azureUpgrade kernel-obs-qaUpgrade kernel-zfcpdumpUpgrade gfs2-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-azure-extraUpgrade kernel-devel-azureUpgrade kernel-rt_debug-vdsoUpgrade ocfs2-kmp-rtUpgrade kernel-rt-vdsoUpgrade kernel-kvmsmall-vdsoUpgrade kernel-kvmsmallUpgrade kselftests-kmp-defaultUpgrade kernel-rt-livepatch-develUpgrade dtb-socionextUpgrade dtb-appleUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-default-extraUpgrade kernel-default-base-rebuildUpgrade dtb-exynosUpgrade kernel-docsUpgrade dtb-apmUpgrade kernel-kvmsmall-develUpgrade kernel-debug-livepatch-develUpgrade kernel-azure-vdsoUpgrade gfs2-kmp-64kbUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-rtUpgrade dtb-amlogicUpgrade dtb-armUpgrade kernel-sourceUpgrade dtb-marvellUpgrade cluster-md-kmp-defaultUpgrade reiserfs-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-syms-azureUpgrade kernel-kvmsmall-livepatch-develUpgrade kernel-64kb-optionalUpgrade dlm-kmp-azureUpgrade kernel-rt_debugUpgrade kernel-azure-livepatch-develUpgrade kernel-64kbUpgrade dtb-mediatekUpgrade kernel-rtUpgrade kernel-azure-develUpgrade kernel-64kb-livepatch-develUpgrade dtb-qcom | Jul 23, 2024 | May 20, 2024 |
| Ubuntu | — | Upgrade linux-image-virtual-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1060-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1009-nvidia-64kUpgrade linux-image-azure-fdeUpgrade linux-image-genericUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1065-awsUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1062-kvmUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-116-generic-lpaeUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-intel-iotgUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1060-intel-iotgUpgrade linux-image-azureUpgrade linux-image-intelUpgrade linux-image-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-xilinx-zynqmpUpgrade linux-image-generic-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-116-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-generic-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-nvidia-64kUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-116-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-ibm-classicUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1008-ibmUpgrade linux-image-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-gcpUpgrade linux-image-oem-24.04aUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-38-genericUpgrade linux-image-oem-24.04Upgrade linux-image-gkeopUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1009-nvidiaUpgrade linux-image-oem-20.04dUpgrade linux-image-ibmUpgrade linux-image-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1068-azure-fdeUpgrade linux-image-oem-20.04bUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1008-oracleUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1010-gcpUpgrade linux-image-azure-fde-lts-22.04Upgrade linux-image-azure-lts-22.04Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1058-raspiUpgrade linux-image-oem-20.04cUpgrade linux-image-raspiUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1008-oemUpgrade linux-image-gkeop-5.15Upgrade linux-image-gke-5.15Upgrade linux-image-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1064-gcpUpgrade linux-image-oracleUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-38-lowlatency-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1010-azureUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-38-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-116-genericUpgrade linux-image-ibm-lts-24.04Upgrade linux-image-oracle-lts-22.04Upgrade linux-image-kvmUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1008-oracle-64kUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1006-gkeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1007-raspiUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-38-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-raspi-nolpaeUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-116-generic-64kUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1065-gcpUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1058-ibmUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1068-azureUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-64k-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-virtualUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1063-oracleUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1060-nvidia-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-aws-lts-22.04Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1062-gkeUpgrade linux-image-oem-20.04Upgrade linux-image-azure-cvmUpgrade linux-image-lowlatency-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-generic-64k-hwe-20.04Upgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1007-intelUpgrade linux-image-generic-64k-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-awsUpgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1035-xilinx-zynqmpUpgrade linux-image-gcp-lts-22.04Upgrade linux-image-virtual-hwe-24.04Upgrade linux-image-5.15.0-1048-gkeopUpgrade linux-image-generic-lpaeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1010-azure-fdeUpgrade linux-image-6.8.0-1011-awsUpgrade linux-image-gkeUpgrade linux-image-nvidia-lowlatencyUpgrade linux-image-generic-lpae-hwe-20.04 | 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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