CVE-2025-38468

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net/sched: Return NULL when htb_lookup_leaf encounters an empty rbtree htb_lookup_leaf has a BUG_ON that can trigger with the following: tc qdisc del dev lo root tc qdisc add dev lo root handle 1: htb default 1 tc class add dev lo parent 1: classid 1:1 htb rate 64bit tc qdisc add dev lo parent 1:1 handle 2: netem tc qdisc add dev lo parent 2:1 handle 3: blackhole ping -I lo -c1 -W0.001 127.0.0.1 The root cause is the following: 1. htb_dequeue calls htb_dequeue_tree which calls the dequeue handler on the selected leaf qdisc 2. netem_dequeue calls enqueue on the child qdisc 3. blackhole_enqueue drops the packet and returns a value that is not just NET_XMIT_SUCCESS 4. Because of this, netem_dequeue calls qdisc_tree_reduce_backlog, and since qlen is now 0, it calls htb_qlen_notify -> htb_deactivate -> htb_deactiviate_prios -> htb_remove_class_from_row -> htb_safe_rb_erase 5. As this is the only class in the selected hprio rbtree, __rb_change_child in __rb_erase_augmented sets the rb_root pointer to NULL 6. Because blackhole_dequeue returns NULL, netem_dequeue returns NULL, which causes htb_dequeue_tree to call htb_lookup_leaf with the same hprio rbtree, and fail the BUG_ON The function graph for this scenario is shown here: 0) | htb_enqueue() { 0) + 13.635 us | netem_enqueue(); 0) 4.719 us | htb_activate_prios(); 0) # 2249.199 us | } 0) | htb_dequeue() { 0) 2.355 us | htb_lookup_leaf(); 0) | netem_dequeue() { 0) + 11.061 us | blackhole_enqueue(); 0) | qdisc_tree_reduce_backlog() { 0) | qdisc_lookup_rcu() { 0) 1.873 us | qdisc_match_from_root(); 0) 6.292 us | } 0) 1.894 us | htb_search(); 0) | htb_qlen_notify() { 0) 2.655 us | htb_deactivate_prios(); 0) 6.933 us | } 0) + 25.227 us | } 0) 1.983 us | blackhole_dequeue(); 0) + 86.553 us | } 0) # 2932.761 us | qdisc_warn_nonwc(); 0) | htb_lookup_leaf() { 0) | BUG_ON(); ------------------------------------------ The full original bug report can be seen here [1]. We can fix this just by returning NULL instead of the BUG_ON, as htb_dequeue_tree returns NULL when htb_lookup_leaf returns NULL. [1] https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/pF5XOOIim0IuEfhI-SOxTgRvNoDwuux7UHKnE_Y5-zVd4wmGvNk2ceHjKb8ORnzw0cGwfmVu42g9dL7XyJLf1NEzaztboTWcm0Ogxuojoeo=@willsroot.io/
Configurations

Configuration 1 (hide)

OR cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*

Configuration 2 (hide)

cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

History

22 Dec 2025, 19:36

Type Values Removed Values Added
CPE cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.16:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
CVSS v2 : unknown
v3 : unknown
v2 : unknown
v3 : 5.5
First Time Linux
Debian
Debian debian Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CWE CWE-476
References () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0e1d5d9b5c5966e2e42e298670808590db5ed628 - () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0e1d5d9b5c5966e2e42e298670808590db5ed628 - Patch
References () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3691f84269a23f7edd263e9b6edbc27b7ae332f4 - () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/3691f84269a23f7edd263e9b6edbc27b7ae332f4 - Patch
References () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5c0506cd1b1a3b145bda2612bbf7fe78d186c355 - () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5c0506cd1b1a3b145bda2612bbf7fe78d186c355 - Patch
References () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7ff2d83ecf2619060f30ecf9fad4f2a700fca344 - () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7ff2d83ecf2619060f30ecf9fad4f2a700fca344 - Patch
References () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/850226aef8d28a00cf966ef26d2f8f2bff344535 - () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/850226aef8d28a00cf966ef26d2f8f2bff344535 - Patch
References () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/890a5d423ef0a7bd13447ceaffad21189f557301 - () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/890a5d423ef0a7bd13447ceaffad21189f557301 - Patch
References () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e5c480dc62a3025b8428d4818e722da30ad6804f - () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e5c480dc62a3025b8428d4818e722da30ad6804f - Patch
References () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fed3570e548a6c9f95c5f4c9e1a7afc1679fd90d - () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fed3570e548a6c9f95c5f4c9e1a7afc1679fd90d - Patch
References () https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00007.html - () https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00007.html - Third Party Advisory
References () https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00008.html - () https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00008.html - Third Party Advisory

03 Nov 2025, 18:16

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
  • () https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00007.html -
  • () https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00008.html -

28 Aug 2025, 15:15

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
  • () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5c0506cd1b1a3b145bda2612bbf7fe78d186c355 -
  • () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/850226aef8d28a00cf966ef26d2f8f2bff344535 -
  • () https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/fed3570e548a6c9f95c5f4c9e1a7afc1679fd90d -

29 Jul 2025, 14:14

Type Values Removed Values Added
Summary
  • (es) En el kernel de Linux, se ha resuelto la siguiente vulnerabilidad: net/sched: Devuelve NULL cuando htb_lookup_leaf encuentra un rbtree vacío htb_lookup_leaf tiene un BUG_ON que puede activarse con lo siguiente: tc qdisc del dev lo root tc qdisc add dev lo root handle 1: htb default 1 tc class add dev lo parent 1: classid 1:1 htb rate 64bit tc qdisc add dev lo parent 1:1 handle 2: netem tc qdisc add dev lo parent 2:1 handle 3: blackhole ping -I lo -c1 -W0.001 127.0.0.1 La causa raíz es la siguiente: 1. htb_dequeue llama a htb_dequeue_tree, que llama al controlador de dequeue en el qdisc de hoja seleccionado 2. netem_dequeue llama a enqueue en el hijo qdisc 3. blackhole_enqueue descarta el paquete y devuelve un valor que no es solo NET_XMIT_SUCCESS 4. Debido a esto, netem_dequeue llama a qdisc_tree_reduce_backlog y, dado que qlen ahora es 0, llama a htb_qlen_notify -> htb_deactivate -> htb_deactiviate_prios -> htb_remove_class_from_row -> htb_safe_rb_erase 5. Como esta es la única clase en el rbtree hprio seleccionado, __rb_change_child en __rb_erase_augmented establece el puntero rb_root en NULL 6. Debido a que blackhole_dequeue devuelve NULL, netem_dequeue devuelve NULL, lo que hace que htb_dequeue_tree llame a htb_lookup_leaf con el mismo rbtree hprio y falle el BUG_ON Se muestra el gráfico de funciones para este escenario aquí: 0) | htb_enqueue() { 0) + 13.635 us | netem_enqueue(); 0) 4.719 us | htb_activate_prios(); 0) # 2249.199 us | } 0) | htb_dequeue() { 0) 2.355 us | htb_lookup_leaf(); 0) | netem_dequeue() { 0) + 11.061 us | blackhole_enqueue(); 0) | qdisc_tree_reduce_backlog() { 0) | qdisc_lookup_rcu() { 0) 1.873 us | qdisc_match_from_root(); 0) 6.292 us | } 0) 1.894 us | htb_search(); 0) | htb_qlen_notify() { 0) 2.655 us | htb_deactivate_prios(); 0) 6.933 us | } 0) + 25.227 us | } 0) 1.983 us | blackhole_dequeue(); 0) + 86.553 us | } 0) # 2932.761 us | qdisc_warn_nonwc(); 0) | htb_lookup_leaf() { 0) | BUG_ON(); ------------------------------------------ The full original bug report can be seen here [1]. We can fix this just by returning NULL instead of the BUG_ON, as htb_dequeue_tree returns NULL when htb_lookup_leaf returns NULL. [1] https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/pF5XOOIim0IuEfhI-SOxTgRvNoDwuux7UHKnE_Y5-zVd4wmGvNk2ceHjKb8ORnzw0cGwfmVu42g9dL7XyJLf1NEzaztboTWcm0Ogxuojoeo=@willsroot.io/

28 Jul 2025, 12:15

Type Values Removed Values Added
New CVE

Information

Published : 2025-07-28 12:15

Updated : 2025-12-22 19:36


NVD link : CVE-2025-38468

Mitre link : CVE-2025-38468

CVE.ORG link : CVE-2025-38468


JSON object : View

Products Affected

debian

  • debian_linux

linux

  • linux_kernel
CWE
CWE-476

NULL Pointer Dereference