CVE-2026-31531

What the bug is

When querying a nexthop object via RTM_GETNEXTHOP, the kernel currently allocates a fixed-size skb using NLMSG_GOODSIZE. While sufficient for single nexthops and small Equal-Cost Multi-Path groups, this fixed allocation fails for large nexthop groups like 512 nexthops. This results in the following warning splat: WARNING: net/ipv4/nexthop.c:3395 at rtm_get_nexthop+0x176/0x1c0, CPU#20: rep/4608 [...] RIP: 0010:rtm_get_nexthop (net/ipv4/nexthop.c:3395) [...] Call Trace: <TASK> rtnetlink_rcv_msg (net/core/rtnetlink.c:6989) netlink_rcv_skb (net/netlink/af_netlink.c:2550) netlink_unicast (net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1319 net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1344) netlink_sendmsg (net/netlink/af_netlink.c:1894) ____sys_sendmsg (net/socket.c:721 net/socket.c:736 net/socket.c:2585) ___sys_sendmsg (net/socket.c:2641) __sys_sendmsg (net/socket.c:2671) do_syscall_64 (arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:63 arch/x86/entry/syscall_64.c:94) entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe (arch/x86/entry/entry_64.S:130) </TASK> Fix this by allocating the size dynamically using nh_nlmsg_size() and using nlmsg_new(), this is consistent with nexthop_notify() behavior. In addition, adjust nh_nlmsg_size_grp() so it calculates the size needed based on flags passed. While at it, also add the size of NHA_FDB for nexthop group size calculation as it was missing too. This cannot be reproduced via iproute2 as the group size is currently limited and the command fails as follows: addattr_l ERROR: message exceeded bound of 1048

Where it lives

The fix touches these files. If the subsystem is one you do not use, the practical exposure is lower, though the package is still the vulnerable one.

net/ipv4/nexthop.c

What this is

NETWORKING [IPv4/IPv6]MAINTAINERS section matched on net/ipv4/nexthop.c · netdev@vger.kernel.org · Maintained

Check it on the machine

grep -w CONFIG_INET /boot/config-$(uname -r)

Reads the booted kernel's own configuration, on the machine and nowhere else. =y is built in, =m is a module, and an is not set line means the code is not there.

Show whether Debian builds this, per release

Debian builds this code. Every release below compiles the affected file into the kernels it ships.

• bookworm, trixie, forky, sidy

y

built into the kernel image on every flavour - only a patch removes it

Build switch

CONFIG_INET

From the configuration Debian publishes for every kernel flavour it builds. It covers only the architectures Debian ships a linux-config package for, and nothing about a kernel you built yourself. Debian's own status above stays authoritative about the source package.MAINTAINERS kbuild Makefiles Debian linux-config packages

Signals

Published

2026-04-23 (6 months ago)source

CVSS

no vector published, unrated

Attack vector

not published

EPSS

0.16%, higher than 5.3% of all CVEssource

CISA KEV

not listedthe KEV catalogue

Debian urgency

not yet assignedsource

Subsystem

net/ipv4

Upstream fixes

The versions the CNA records as introducing and fixing this, and the commit for each. source

Introduced	Fixed in	Commit
5.3	6.12.83	615517f3f8d5
5.3	6.18.24	40bd39e383a0
5.3	6.19.14	635038fe19db
5.3	7.0	14cf0cd35361

Debian advisories