CyberRota Analysis
AI-GeneratedThe vulnerability affects the Linux kernel's xfrm module, specifically in the nat_keepalive_send function, which improperly handles memory management by allowing a double free of the socket buffer (skb) upon send errors. This flaw can lead to potential memory corruption and instability in the networking stack, posing a risk of denial-of-service conditions or exploitation by malicious actors. System administrators and developers managing Linux-based environments should prioritize patching this vulnerability to ensure system integrity and reliability.
Original NVD Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: xfrm: nat_keepalive: avoid double free on send error nat_keepalive_send() frees the keepalive skb whenever the IPv4 or IPv6 send helper reports an error. That cleanup is only correct before the skb is handed to the output path. Once ip_build_and_send_pkt() or ip6_xmit() takes ownership, the networking stack may already have consumed the skb before returning an error, so freeing it again is unsafe. Handle the pre-handoff failure cases inside nat_keepalive_send_ipv4() and nat_keepalive_send_ipv6(), where the caller still owns the skb, and keep nat_keepalive_send() responsible only for family dispatch and the unsupported-family cleanup path.