xfrm: fix ip_rt_bug race in icmp_route_lookup reverse path
Subsystems (3)
PATCH v4 1/1 xfrm: fix ip_rt_bug race in icmp_route_lookup reverse path
From: Jiayuan Chen <[email protected]>
icmp_route_lookup() performs multiple route lookups to find a suitable route for sending ICMP error messages, with special handling for XFRM (IPsec) policies.
The lookup sequence is:
1. First, lookup output route for ICMP reply (dst = original src)
2. Pass through xfrm_lookup() for policy check
3. If blocked (-EPERM) or dst is not local, enter "reverse path"
4. In reverse path, call xfrm_decode_session_reverse() to get fl4_dec which reverses the original packet's flow (saddr<->daddr swapped)
5. If fl4_dec.saddr is local (we are the original destination), use __ip_route_output_key() for output route lookup
6. If fl4_dec.saddr is NOT local (we are a forwarding node), use ip_route_input() to simulate the reverse packet's input path
7. Finally, pass rt2 through xfrm_lookup() with XFRM_LOOKUP_ICMP flag
The bug occurs in step 6: ip_route_input() is called with fl4_dec.daddr (original packet's source) as destination. If this address becomes local between the initial check and ip_route_input() call (e.g., due to concurrent "ip addr add"), ip_route_input() returns a LOCAL route with dst.output set to ip_rt_bug.
This route is then used for ICMP output, causing dst_output() to call ip_rt_bug(), triggering a WARN_ON:
------------[ cut here ]------------ WARNING: net/ipv4/route.c:1275 at ip_rt_bug+0x21/0x30, CPU#1 Call Trace: <TASK> ip_push_pending_frames+0x202/0x240 icmp_push_reply+0x30d/0x430 __icmp_send+0x1149/0x24f0 ip_options_compile+0xa2/0xd0 ip_rcv_finish_core+0x829/0x1950 ip_rcv+0x2d7/0x420 __netif_receive_skb_one_core+0x185/0x1f0 netif_receive_skb+0x90/0x450 tun_get_user+0x3413/0x3fb0 tun_chr_write_iter+0xe4/0x220 ...
Fix this by checking rt2->rt_type after ip_route_input(). If it's RTN_LOCAL, the route cannot be used for output, so treat it as an error.
The reproducer requires kernel modification to widen the race window, making it unsuitable as a selftest. It is available at:
https://gist.github.com/mrpre/eae853b72ac6a750f5d45d64ddac1e81
---
v3 -> v4:
Don't break string literals across lines to fit 80 columns
v3: https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/[email protected]/
v1 -> v3:
Suggested by Paolo Abeni:
- Resend it using net tree and using xfrm prefix
- Fix text string over 80 chars limit.
- Simplify commit message.
v1: https://lore.kernel.org/r/[email protected]
v2: https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/[email protected]/
--- net/ipv4/icmp.c | 15 +++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 15 insertions(+)
net/ipv4/icmp.c +15 -0
@@ -554,6 +554,21 @@ static struct rtable *icmp_route_lookup(struct net *net, struct flowi4 *fl4,/* steal dst entry from skb_in, don't drop refcnt */ skb_dstref_steal (skb_in);skb_dstref_restore (skb_in, orefdst); + +/* +* At this point, fl4_dec.daddr should NOT be local (we +* checked fl4_dec.saddr above). However, a race condition +* may occur if the address is added to the interface +* concurrently. In that case, ip_route_input() returns a +* LOCAL route with dst.output=ip_rt_bug, which must not +* be used for output. +*/ +if (!err && rt2 && rt2->rt_type ==RTN_LOCAL ) { +net_warn_ratelimited ("detected local route for %pI4 during ICMP sending, src %pI4\n" , + &fl4_dec.daddr, &fl4_dec.saddr); +dst_release (&rt2->dst); + err = -EINVAL ; + } }if (err)
Signature · 1 line
2.43.0
This patch was applied to netdev/net.git (main) by Paolo Abeni <[email protected]>:
Hello:
This patch was applied to netdev/net.git (main)
by Paolo Abeni <[email protected]>:
Quoted 18 lines · On Fri, 6 Feb 2026 13:02:19 +0800 you wrote:
From: Jiayuan Chen <[email protected]>
icmp_route_lookup()performs multiple route lookups to find a suitable route for sending ICMP error messages, with special handling for XFRM (IPsec) policies.The lookup sequence is:
1. First, lookup output route for ICMP reply (dst = original src)
2. Pass throughxfrm_lookup()for policy check
3. If blocked (-EPERM) or dst is not local, enter "reverse path"
4. In reverse path, callxfrm_decode_session_reverse()to getfl4_decwhich reverses the original packet's flow (saddr<->daddr swapped)
5. If fl4_dec.saddr is local (we are the original destination), use__ip_route_output_key()for output route lookup
6. If fl4_dec.saddr is NOT local (we are a forwarding node), useip_route_input()to simulate the reverse packet's input path
7. Finally, pass rt2 throughxfrm_lookup()withXFRM_LOOKUP_ICMPflag
Quoted 1 line
[...]
Here is the summary with links:
- [net,v4] xfrm: fix ip_rt_bug race in icmp_route_lookup reverse path
https://git.kernel.org/netdev/net/c/81b84de32bb2
You are awesome, thank you!
Signature · 2 lines
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