CVE-2025-71097: ipv4: Fix reference count leak when using error routes with nexthop objects

Published Jan 13, 2026
·
Updated

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 fibtableflush() is called to flush all the routes that are using the dead nexthop.

The current logic in fibtableflush() is to only flush error routes (e.g., blackhole) when it is called as part of network namespace dismantle (i.e., with flushall=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] unregisternetdevice: 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.

Affected Software

17 affected componentsFixes available
linux-kernel
Microsoft azl3 kernel 6.6.119.3-3
Linux Linux kernel>=5.3.1<5.10.248
Linux Linux kernel>=5.11<5.15.198
Linux Linux kernel>=5.16<6.1.160
Linux Linux kernel>=6.2<6.6.120
Linux Linux kernel>=6.7<6.12.64
Linux Linux kernel>=6.13<6.18.4
Linux Linux kernel=5.3
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc1
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc2
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc3
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc4
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc5
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc6
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc7
Linux Linux kernel=6.19-rc8

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Configuration

    Flush all routes (use fib_table_flush() with flush_all=true) so that error routes are flushed when their nexthop is marked dead, preventing the nexthop reference-count leak in fib_table_flush() logic.

    Linux kernel fib_table_flush()/route flushing flush_all = true
  2. Compensating control

    Use IPv6 instead of IPv4 for affected routing paths, since the material states IPv6 does not suffer from this problem.

Event History

Jan 13, 2026
CVE Published
via MITRE·03:34 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·03:34 PM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·04:16 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Jan 15, 2026
Data Sourced
via Microsoft·09:04 AM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via Microsoft·09:04 AM
Affected Software
Updated
via Microsoft·09:04 AM
DescriptionSeverity
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2025-71097?

CVE-2025-71097 has a low severity rating due to its nature of causing a reference count leak.

2

How do I fix CVE-2025-71097?

The recommended fix for CVE-2025-71097 is to update to the latest version of the Linux kernel that addresses this vulnerability.

3

What are the potential impacts of CVE-2025-71097?

The primary impact of CVE-2025-71097 is a potential memory leak affecting system performance over time.

4

Which systems are affected by CVE-2025-71097?

CVE-2025-71097 affects systems running vulnerable versions of the Linux kernel utilizing nexthop objects.

5

Is CVE-2025-71097 being actively exploited?

As of now, there are no reported active exploits specifically targeting CVE-2025-71097.

Contact

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