Look up another CVE · open CVE-2026-97524 in the interactive tracker
CVE-2026-97524
mptcp: avoid unneeded actions on subflow reset
Published 2026-09-25 (24 days ago) by the Linux kernel CNA. Subsystem net/mptcp. Debian urgency: not yet assigned.
What to do, per Debian release
Debian's own status for CVE-2026-97524 in every release this site tracks, and what each one means in practice. Every status below is the one the Debian Security Team publishes for this CVE. source
| Release | Status | Version | What this means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 12bookworm | fixedDLA-4841-1 · 2026-10-17 · text | 6.1.190-1 | Update the kernel and reboot. DLA-4841-1 shipped the fix on 2026-10-17, in 6.1.190-1. A running kernel keeps the old code until the machine restarts. |
| Debian 13trixie | fixedDSA-6528-1 · 2026-09-29 · text | 6.12.111-1 | Update the kernel and reboot. DSA-6528-1 shipped the fix on 2026-09-29, in 6.12.111-1. A running kernel keeps the old code until the machine restarts. |
| Debian 14forky | fixed | 7.2.7-1 | Update the kernel and reboot. Fixed in 7.2.7-1. A running kernel keeps the old code until the machine restarts. |
| Debian unstablesid | fixed | 7.2.7-1 | Update the kernel and reboot. Fixed in 7.2.7-1. A running kernel keeps the old code until the machine restarts. |
| Debian 12bookworm · linux-6.12 | fixedDLA-4817-1 · 2026-10-04 · text | 6.12.111-1~deb12u1 | Update the kernel and reboot. DLA-4817-1 shipped the fix on 2026-10-04, in 6.12.111-1~deb12u1. A running kernel keeps the old code until the machine restarts. |
The vulnerability
What the bug is
Once in a blue moon, the mptcp receive path can recursively call mptcp_data_ready() via state change under unlucky error conditions, and then try to hold the data lock again. Break the recursion loop explicitly checking for the exceptional condition. Add a new flag instead of using an existing one like 'closing', to exit early in subflow_state_change(), and explicitly flush the RX queue at reset time. This avoids unneeded processing to check for available data -- calling get_mapping_status() and more on a dying subflow -- but also in error reporting and worker scheduling. Note that we must consume the currently peeked skb before invoking mptcp_dss_corruption to avoid consuming it again after the eventual reset has freed it.
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/mptcp/protocol.c
net/mptcp/protocol.h
net/mptcp/subflow.c
- What this is
- NETWORKING [MPTCP]MAINTAINERS section matched on net/mptcp/ · netdev@vger.kernel.org · Maintained
Check it on the machine
grep -w CONFIG_MPTCP /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, sid, bookworm · linux-6.12y
- y
- built into the kernel image on every flavour - only a patch removes it
- Build switch
- CONFIG_MPTCP
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
- 2026-09-25 (24 days ago)source
- CVSS
- 7.5 high
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:Hsource recompute it - Attack vector
- network (AV:N)source
- EPSS
- 0.69%, higher than 51.7% of all CVEssource
- CISA KEV
- not listedthe KEV catalogue
- Debian urgency
- not yet assignedsource
- Subsystem
- net/mptcp
Upstream fixes
The versions the CNA records as introducing and fixing this, and the commit for each. source
| Introduced | Fixed in | Commit |
|---|---|---|
| 5.10.228 | 5.10.271 | 6d669c740933 |
| 5.15.169 | 5.15.222 | 83a7dcdd2b10 |
| 6.1.113 | 6.1.189 | a370e56024df |
| 6.6.57 | 6.6.158 | 196284138708 |
| 6.12 | 6.12.111 | 4b7abdcb5ba8 |
| 6.12 | 6.18.53 | b2dbcc1ed48b |
| 6.12 | 7.2.7 | ce7e4ede01ed |
| 6.12 | 7.3 | 2b0f561f21b2 |
| 6.11.4 | 0 | 0 |
Debian advisories
| Advisory | Date | Shipped to | Debian |
|---|---|---|---|
| DLA-4841-1 | 2026-10-17 | bookworm 6.1.190-1 | tracker |
| DLA-4817-1 | 2026-10-04 | bookworm 6.12.111-1~deb12u1 | tracker |
| DSA-6528-1 | 2026-09-29 | trixie 6.12.111-1 | tracker |
Why the CNA scored it this way
Quoted from the kernel CNA's own scoring file, word for word. A highlighted metric carries the most severe value CVSS v3.1 defines for it, which is what pushes the score up. source
- AV:NAttack vector, network
- A crafted MPTCP DSS option on a received TCP segment is the attacker-controlled input; it is parsed on the established RX path tcp_rcv_established → tcp_data_queue → subflow_data_ready → mptcp_data_ready → __mptcp_move_skbs_from_subflow, which calls mptcp_dss_corruption() and then the patched mptcp_subflow_reset()/subflow_state_change(). MPTCP/TCP is a routable IP protocol.
- AC:LAttack complexity, low
- The peer disables infinite fallback via MP_JOIN (mptcp_subflow_joined(); allow_join_initial_addr_port defaults to 1) or by filling msk->out_of_order_queue, then sends a DSS with data_len shorter than the skb plus another TCP-ofo segment so map_remaining < len in __mptcp_move_skbs_from_subflow() calls mptcp_subflow_reset() while ssk->sk_receive_queue is still occupied, making subflow_state_change() re-enter mptcp_data_ready().
- PR:NPrivileges required, none
- The DSS is processed in TCP receive softirq after an unauthenticated MP_CAPABLE handshake with an IPPROTO_MPTCP listener (or an outbound MPTCP client); no local account, capability, or application credential is checked on the path to mptcp_dss_corruption().
- UI:NUser interaction, none
- The attacker’s DSS segments are handled entirely in RX softirq on an existing MPTCP connection; no local user mount, file open, or other victim action is required.
- S:UScope, unchanged
- The recursive mptcp_data_lock hang and subflow teardown stay inside the victim kernel’s network stack; no VM, IOMMU, or sandbox boundary is crossed.
- C:NConfidentiality impact, none
- The defect is a nested spin_lock_bh on sk->sk_lock.slock from subflow_state_change() back into mptcp_data_ready(); it does not read attacker-chosen kernel memory or leak pointers.
- I:NIntegrity impact, none
- Pre-fix tcp_done() does not purge ssk->sk_receive_queue, and the nested mptcp_data_ready() never proceeds past the already-held slock, so there is no use-after-free, write primitive, or control-flow hijack.
- A:HAvailability impact, high
- mptcp_data_ready() already holds mptcp_data_lock (spin_lock_bh on sk->sk_lock.slock) when mptcp_dss_corruption() → mptcp_subflow_reset() → tcp_done() invokes subflow_state_change(), which re-enters mptcp_data_ready() and deadlocks the CPU in softirq (soft lockup).