CVE-2025-71097 — ipv4: Fix reference count leak when using error routes with nexthop objects
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ipv4: Fix reference count leak when using error routes with nexthop objects When a nexthop object is deleted, it is marked as dead and then fib_table_flush() is called to flush all the routes that are using the dead nexthop. The current logic in fib_table_flush() is to only flush error routes (e.g., blackhole) when it is called as part of network namespace dismantle (i.e., with flush_all=true). Therefore, error routes are not flushed when their nexthop object is deleted: # ip link add name dummy1 up type dummy # ip nexthop add id 1 dev dummy1 # ip route add 198.51.100.1/32 nhid 1 # ip route add blackhole 198.51.100.2/32 nhid 1 # ip nexthop del id 1 # ip route show blackhole 198.51.100.2 nhid 1 dev dummy1 As such, they keep holding a reference on the nexthop object which in turn holds a reference on the nexthop device, resulting in a reference count leak: # ip link del dev dummy1 [ 70.516258] unregister_netdevice: waiting for dummy1 to become free. Usage count = 2 Fix by flushing error routes when their nexthop is marked as dead. IPv6 does not suffer from this problem.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 0.1% (30-day exploitation probability)+0
- Technical severity (medium)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Documented patch — git.kernel.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Linux Linux, Linux Linux Kernel).
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Linux | version 5.3≥ 493ced1ac47c48bb86d9d4e8e87df8592be85a0e and < ac782f4e3bfcde145b8a7f8af31d9422d94d172a≥ 493ced1ac47c48bb86d9d4e8e87df8592be85a0e and < e3fc381320d04e4a74311e576a86cac49a16fc43≥ 493ced1ac47c48bb86d9d4e8e87df8592be85a0e and < ee4183501ea556dca31f5ffd8690aa9fd25b609f≥ 493ced1ac47c48bb86d9d4e8e87df8592be85a0e and < 5979338c83012110ccd45cae6517591770bfe536≥ 493ced1ac47c48bb86d9d4e8e87df8592be85a0e and < 30386e090c49e803c0616a7147e43409c32a2b0e≥ 493ced1ac47c48bb86d9d4e8e87df8592be85a0e and < 33ff5c207c873215e54e6176624ed57423cb7dea≥ 493ced1ac47c48bb86d9d4e8e87df8592be85a0e and < 5de7ad7e18356e39e8fbf7edd185a5faaf4f385a | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Linux | Linux Kernel |
version 6.19-rc5version 6.19-rc8version 6.19-rc7version 6.19-rc6≥ 5.3.1 and < 5.10.248version 6.19-rc4version 6.19-rc3version 6.19-rc2 and 7 moreversion 6.19-rc1version 5.3≥ 6.13 and < 6.18.4≥ 6.7 and < 6.12.64≥ 6.2 and < 6.6.120≥ 5.16 and < 6.1.160≥ 5.11 and < 5.15.198 |
Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | 1.8 | 3.6 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 5.5 | CVSS 3.1 | Medium | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 0.14%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Local/physical vector: focus on endpoint telemetry (EDR) from affected hosts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · linux/linux
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 5.5
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
11 on the record
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ac782f4e3bfcde145b8a7f8af31d9422d94d172a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/ee4183501ea556dca31f5ffd8690aa9fd25b609f
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/e3fc381320d04e4a74311e576a86cac49a16fc43
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/5979338c83012110ccd45cae6517591770bfe536
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/5de7ad7e18356e39e8fbf7edd185a5faaf4f385a
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/33ff5c207c873215e54e6176624ed57423cb7dea
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/30386e090c49e803c0616a7147e43409c32a2b0e
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-457936.html
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-019113.html
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-71097
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-hc39-xg82-jgf4
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-99999 ipv4: validate checksum_start before completing checksum 6h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98432 ipv4: free inet_opt and ireq_opt after an RCU grace period 6h
- Unknown CVE-2026-98424 wifi: cfg80211: undo netns switch if renaming the wiphy fails 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98425 wifi: mac80211: don't warn when an IBSS has no channel to scan 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98426 wifi: mwifiex: fix IRQ leak using wrong index in MSI-X error path 1d
- Unknown CVE-2026-98427 net/sched: codel: bound the dropping loop per dequeue call 1d
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CWE classification.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2025-71097 is "ipv4: Fix reference count leak when using error routes with nexthop objects", rated Medium. It affects Linux (Linux); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.14% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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