CVE-2026-99191
Description
From CVE.org
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: calipso: keep BIG TCP payload_len in calipso_skbuff_setattr() calipso_skbuff_setattr() adjusts payload_len by the length of the option it inserts or resizes: payload = ntohs(ip6_hdr->payload_len); ip6_hdr->payload_len = htons(payload + len_delta); GRO can build BIG TCP packets larger than IPV6_MAXPLEN, and stores payload_len == 0 for them; ipv6_payload_len() then falls back to skb->len. For such a packet forwarded to a destination mapped to CALIPSO, the code above writes len_delta (or 65536 + len_delta when shrinking) into payload_len, and ipv6_payload_len() no longer falls back to skb->len. nf_tables, conntrack and sch_cake rely on it. The same arithmetic also wraps when a packet grows past IPV6_MAXPLEN, and a BIG TCP packet that shrinks below IPV6_MAXPLEN should get its real length back. Set payload_len from the skb length with ipv6_set_payload_len(), which stores 0 above IPV6_MAXPLEN and the real length otherwise, as ipv6_gro_complete() does. The network header was just reset to skb->data, so skb->len - sizeof(*ip6_hdr) is the payload length. Tested on one kernel (arm64, QEMU) with SELinux permissive, a minimal mdp-generated policy (network_peer_controls=1), "netlabelctl calipso add pass doi:16" and a NetLabel mapping of fd00:2::/64 to CALIPSO DOI 16. calipso_skbuff_setattr() was called through netlbl_skbuff_setattr() from a test-only debugfs hook (not part of this patch) adding a level-only label; payload_len after the call: case before fix after fix real length 1000, unlabeled 1016 1016 1016 70000 GSO, payload_len 0 16 0 70016 65530 GSO, grows past MAXPLEN 10 0 65546 65540 GSO with a 24 byte hop header, shrinks below MAXPLEN 65528 65532 65532 1000 with a 24 byte hop header 992 992 992 (0 means ipv6_payload_len() returns the real length.) On the forward path, with a client injecting unlabeled UDP through a router to a server, the router adds the CALIPSO option and the server delivers all datagrams (Udp6InDatagrams 5, Ip6InTruncatedPkts 0) with this patch.
Statement
This vulnerability is rated as having a Low impact for Red Hat Enterprise Linux because CALIPSO packet labeling is not configured in standard deployments. Exploitation requires specialized NetLabel configuration where IPv6 traffic is mapped to security labels on forwarding systems. Furthermore, the anomaly only occurs with BIG TCP receive offloads exceeding standard payload lengths, limiting the consequence to potential packet loss or connection issues rather than system compromise.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 3.7 | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | High | N/A | N/A |
| Privileges Required | None | N/A | N/A |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | N/A |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | N/A |
| Confidentiality | None | N/A | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | None | N/A | N/A |
| Availability Impact | Low | N/A | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory); DoS: Instability
This weakness can generally lead to undefined behavior and therefore crashes. When the calculated result is used for resource allocation, this weakness can cause too many (or too few) resources to be allocated, possibly enabling crashes if the product requests more resources than can be provided. If the calculated result involves time values, then the product might crash when it encounters a time that is less than the previously-calculated time.
Integrity
Technical Impact: Modify Memory
If the value in question is important to data (as opposed to flow), simple data corruption has occurred. Also, if the overflow/wraparound results in other conditions such as buffer overflows, further memory corruption may occur.
Confidentiality,Availability,Access Control
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; Bypass Protection Mechanism
This weakness can sometimes trigger buffer overflows, which can be used to execute arbitrary code. This is usually outside the scope of the product's implicit security policy.
Availability,Other
Technical Impact: Alter Execution Logic; DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU)
If the overflow/wraparound occurs in a loop index variable, this could cause the loop to terminate at the wrong time - too early, too late, or not at all (i.e., infinite loops). With too many iterations, some loops could consume too many resources such as memory, file handles, etc., possibly leading to a crash or other DoS.
Access Control
Technical Impact: Bypass Protection Mechanism
If integer values are used in security-critical decisions, such as calculating quotas or allocation limits, integer overflows can be used to cause an incorrect security decision.
Access Control
Technical Impact: Bypass Protection Mechanism; DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
If integer values are used in time-based, security-critical decisions, such as calculating expiration times or determining whether an event occurs within a specific time or date range, to cause an incorrect security decision. The consequences could even include "self-DoS" if the overflow produces a time value that is not accounted for in protection mechanism logic [REF-1570].
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