CVE-2026-64024 PUBLISHED

tcp: fix stale per-CPU tcp_tw_isn leak enabling ISN prediction

Assigner: Linux
Reserved: 19.07.2026 Published: 19.07.2026 Updated: 20.07.2026

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

tcp: fix stale per-CPU tcp_tw_isn leak enabling ISN prediction

Blamed commit moved the TIME_WAIT-derived ISN from the skb control block to a per-CPU variable, assuming the value would always be consumed by tcp_conn_request() for the same packet that wrote it. That assumption is violated by multiple drop paths between the producer (__this_cpu_write(tcp_tw_isn, isn) in tcp_v{4,6}_rcv()) and the consumer (tcp_conn_request()):

  • min_ttl / min_hopcount check
  • xfrm policy check
  • tcp_inbound_hash() MD5/AO mismatch
  • tcp_filter() eBPF/SO_ATTACH_FILTER drop
  • th->syn && th->fin discard in tcp_rcv_state_process() TCP_LISTEN
  • psp_sk_rx_policy_check() in tcp_v{4,6}_do_rcv()
  • tcp_checksum_complete() in tcp_v{4,6}_do_rcv()
  • tcp_v{4,6}_cookie_check() returning NULL

When a packet is dropped on any of these paths, tcp_tw_isn is left set.

The next SYN processed on the same CPU then consumes the non zero value in tcp_conn_request(), receiving a potentially predictable ISN.

This patch moves back tcp_tw_isn to skb->cb[], getting rid of the per-cpu variable.

Note that tcp_v{4,6}_fill_cb() do not set it.

Very litle impact on overall code size/complexity:

$ scripts/bloat-o-meter -t vmlinux.old vmlinux.new add/remove: 0/0 grow/shrink: 2/1 up/down: 8/-15 (-7) Function old new delta tcp_v6_rcv 3038 3042 +4 tcp_v4_rcv 3035 3039 +4 tcp_conn_request 2938 2923 -15 Total: Before=24436060, After=24436053, chg -0.00%

Metrics

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:H
CVSS Score: 9.4

Product Status

Vendor Linux
Product Linux
Versions Default: unaffected
  • affected from 41eecbd712b73f0d5dcf1152b9a1c27b1f238028 to e47f7060eaf60894e3e4d0e3c4fe6e1f2eacfbdd (excl.)
  • affected from 41eecbd712b73f0d5dcf1152b9a1c27b1f238028 to 4affe063fa56c880cbea8d0bfded0bb80751579d (excl.)
  • affected from 41eecbd712b73f0d5dcf1152b9a1c27b1f238028 to 1bbf0ced1d9db73ac7893c2187f3459288603e0d (excl.)
Vendor Linux
Product Linux
Versions Default: affected
  • Version 6.10 is affected
  • unaffected from 0 to 6.10 (excl.)
  • unaffected from 6.18.34 to 6.18.* (incl.)
  • unaffected from 7.0.11 to 7.0.* (incl.)
  • unaffected from 7.1 to * (incl.)

References