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/
Metrics
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendors | Products |
|---|---|
| Linux |
|
No data.
No data.
References
History
Tue, 29 Jul 2025 12:30:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
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| Metrics |
threat_severity
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cvssV3_1
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Tue, 29 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
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| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
Mon, 28 Jul 2025 11:30:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | 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/ | |
| Title | net/sched: Return NULL when htb_lookup_leaf encounters an empty rbtree | |
| References |
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MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published: 2025-07-28T11:12:20.188Z
Updated: 2025-07-28T11:12:20.188Z
Reserved: 2025-04-16T04:51:24.020Z
Link: CVE-2025-38468
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Awaiting Analysis
Published: 2025-07-28T12:15:28.503
Modified: 2025-07-29T14:14:29.590
Link: CVE-2025-38468
Redhat