CyberRota Analysis
AI-GeneratedThe vulnerability affects the Linux kernel's handling of shared zerocopy state in socket buffers (skbs), specifically during the skb_tx_error() process, which can lead to improper management of memory references in cloned skbs. This flaw can result in data corruption or unauthorized access to memory, particularly impacting systems utilizing Open vSwitch with specific packet processing actions. Organizations using Linux-based systems, especially those implementing Open vSwitch, should prioritize addressing this vulnerability to mitigate potential data integrity and security risks.
Original NVD Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: skbuff: don't touch shared zerocopy state in skb_tx_error() skb_tx_error() completes the zerocopy uarg and clears SKBFL_ALL_ZEROCOPY, and skb_zcopy_downgrade_managed() clears SKBFL_MANAGED_FRAG_REFS. Both live in skb_shinfo(), which every clone shares, while the caller only owns the reference it is about to drop. Through a clone it tells the producer its pages are free and drops SKBFL_SHARED_FRAG for an skb that is still in flight. Open vSwitch reaches this with a non-last OVS_ACTION_ATTR_RECIRC: clone_execute() sends a skb_clone() into ovs_dp_process_packet() while do_execute_actions() keeps forwarding the original, and skb_clone() does not privatise the frags here -- skb_orphan_frags() returns early on SKBFL_DONT_ORPHAN. A flow miss on the clone then strips the marker from the packet still being forwarded, and a later local ESP delivery decrypts in place over frags it does not own privately. Skip it for a cloned skb. Nothing is lost: skb_release_data() clears the zerocopy state once the last reference to the shared data goes.