Bug 2536299 (CVE-2026-90109)

Summary: CVE-2026-90109 kernel: net: sched: fix 32-bit backlog wrap in gred, bfifo and plug enqueue
Product: [Other] Security Response Reporter: OSIDB Bzimport <bzimport>
Component: vulnerabilityAssignee: Product Security DevOps Team <prodsec-dev>
Status: NEW --- QA Contact:
Severity: low Docs Contact:
Priority: low    
Version: unspecifiedCC: akhatavk, aos-team-art-private, asdas, dpaolell, jdelft, jupierce, lgarciaa, mbiarnes, ppalepu, ppostler, prdhamdh, rhel-process-autobot, sghai, sidsharm, suppawar, vlaad, watson-tool-maintainers
Target Milestone: ---Keywords: Security
Target Release: ---   
Hardware: All   
OS: Linux   
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A flaw was found in the Linux kernel. A local attacker with root privileges could exploit a 32-bit integer overflow vulnerability in the networking scheduler's gred, bfifo, and plug enqueue functions. This occurs when the queue backlog, stored as a 32-bit integer, exceeds 4 Gigabytes (GiB). The integer then wraps around, causing the system to incorrectly admit more packets than the queue limit. This unbounded queue growth can lead to an Out-Of-Memory (OOM) condition, resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS) for the system.
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Description OSIDB Bzimport 2026-09-17 17:16:57 UTC
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

net: sched: fix 32-bit backlog wrap in gred, bfifo and plug enqueue

gred_enqueue(), bfifo_enqueue() and plug_enqueue() admit a packet when the
current backlog plus the packet length fits within the queue limit:

  sch->qstats.backlog + qdisc_pkt_len(skb) <= sch->limit (gred default VQ)
  gred_backlog+qdisc_pkt_len(skb) <= q->limit  (gred configured VQ)
  sch->qstats.backlog + qdisc_pkt_len(skb) <= sch->limit (bfifo)
  sch->qstats.backlog + skb->len <= q->limit             (plug)

sch->qstats.backlog and q->backlog are u32, and qdisc_pkt_len()/skb->len
are unsigned int, so all sums are computed in 32 bits and wrap at 2^32.
Once the true backlog exceeds 4 GiB the wrapped sum becomes small and
admission keeps succeeding, so the queue grows without bound and the kernel
can be driven to OOM.

Promote the sums to u64 so admission stops once the true backlog exceeds
the limit.  The limit is u32, so the bounded queue stays below 2^32 and
the stored u32 backlog never wraps.

The bug can only be reproduced as root (albeit with ridiculous setup):
 attach a gred (or bfifo/plug) qdisc with a limit near 4 GiB,
 leaving the default VQ unconfigured (for gred), and drive >4 GiB of
 queued traffic (e.g. via a size table / stab to inflate qdisc_pkt_len,
 or sustained high-rate traffic). The u32 backlog+len sum wraps at 2^32,
 admission keeps succeeding, and the queue grows unboundedly to OOM.