[PATCH] esp: fix page frag reference leak on skb_to_sgvec failure

[PATCH] esp: fix page frag reference leak on skb_to_sgvec failure

[Alessandro Schino]

From: e521588 <alessandro.schino@sbb.ch>

In esp_output_tail(), when esp->inplace is false, the old skb page frags
are replaced with a new page from the xfrm page_frag cache. The source
scatterlist (sg) is built from the old frags before the replacement, and
esp_ssg_unref() is responsible for releasing the old page references
after the crypto operation completes.

However, if the second skb_to_sgvec() call (which builds the destination
scatterlist from the new page) fails, the code jumps to error_free which
only calls kfree(tmp). The old page frag references captured in the
source scatterlist are never released:

  1. sg[] is built from old frags via skb_to_sgvec() (no extra get_page)
  2. nr_frags is set to 1 and frag[0] is replaced with the new page
  3. Second skb_to_sgvec() fails -> goto error_free
  4. kfree(tmp) frees the sg[] memory but old frags are not unref'd
  5. kfree_skb() only releases frag[0] (the new page), not the old ones

Fix this by calling esp_ssg_unref() before the goto error_free when the
second skb_to_sgvec() fails. At this point, the source scatterlist in
tmp is fully populated, so esp_ssg_unref() can properly release all old
page frag references.

The same issue exists in both esp4 and esp6 as the code is identical.

Signed-off-by: Alessandro Schino <7991aleschino@gmail.com>
---
 net/ipv4/esp4.c | 4 +++-
 net/ipv6/esp6.c | 4 +++-
 2 files changed, 6 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/net/ipv4/esp4.c b/net/ipv4/esp4.c
index 6a5febbdbee4..5c4b162c1bb5 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/esp4.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/esp4.c
@@ -569,8 +569,10 @@ int esp_output_tail(struct xfrm_state *x, struct sk_buff *skb, struct esp_info *
 		err = skb_to_sgvec(skb, dsg,
 			           (unsigned char *)esph - skb->data,
 			           assoclen + ivlen + esp->clen + alen);
-		if (unlikely(err < 0))
+		if (unlikely(err < 0)) {
+			esp_ssg_unref(x, tmp, skb);
 			goto error_free;
+		}
 	}
 
 	if ((x->props.flags & XFRM_STATE_ESN))
diff --git a/net/ipv6/esp6.c b/net/ipv6/esp6.c
index 9c06c5a1419d..9166e1da3615 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/esp6.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/esp6.c
@@ -600,8 +600,10 @@ int esp6_output_tail(struct xfrm_state *x, struct sk_buff *skb, struct esp_info
 		err = skb_to_sgvec(skb, dsg,
 			           (unsigned char *)esph - skb->data,
 			           assoclen + ivlen + esp->clen + alen);
-		if (unlikely(err < 0))
+		if (unlikely(err < 0)) {
+			esp_ssg_unref(x, tmp, skb);
 			goto error_free;
+		}
 	}
 
 	if ((x->props.flags & XFRM_STATE_ESN))
-- 
2.41.0.windows.3

Re: [PATCH] esp: fix page frag reference leak on skb_to_sgvec failure

[Steffen Klassert]

On Thu, May 14, 2026 at 10:11:23AM +0200, Alessandro Schino wrote:
> From: e521588 <alessandro.schino@sbb.ch>
> 
> In esp_output_tail(), when esp->inplace is false, the old skb page frags
> are replaced with a new page from the xfrm page_frag cache. The source
> scatterlist (sg) is built from the old frags before the replacement, and
> esp_ssg_unref() is responsible for releasing the old page references
> after the crypto operation completes.
> 
> However, if the second skb_to_sgvec() call (which builds the destination
> scatterlist from the new page) fails, the code jumps to error_free which
> only calls kfree(tmp). The old page frag references captured in the
> source scatterlist are never released:
> 
>   1. sg[] is built from old frags via skb_to_sgvec() (no extra get_page)
>   2. nr_frags is set to 1 and frag[0] is replaced with the new page
>   3. Second skb_to_sgvec() fails -> goto error_free
>   4. kfree(tmp) frees the sg[] memory but old frags are not unref'd
>   5. kfree_skb() only releases frag[0] (the new page), not the old ones
> 
> Fix this by calling esp_ssg_unref() before the goto error_free when the
> second skb_to_sgvec() fails. At this point, the source scatterlist in
> tmp is fully populated, so esp_ssg_unref() can properly release all old
> page frag references.
> 
> The same issue exists in both esp4 and esp6 as the code is identical.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Alessandro Schino <7991aleschino@gmail.com>

As this is a fix, please add a 'Fixes:' tag to the commit message.

Thanks!

[PATCH] esp: fix page frag reference leak on skb_to_sgvec failure

[Alessandro Schino]

From: e521588 <alessandro.schino@sbb.ch>

In esp_output_tail(), when esp->inplace is false, the old skb page frags
are replaced with a new page from the xfrm page_frag cache. The source
scatterlist (sg) is built from the old frags before the replacement, and
esp_ssg_unref() is responsible for releasing the old page references
after the crypto operation completes.

However, if the second skb_to_sgvec() call (which builds the destination
scatterlist from the new page) fails, the code jumps to error_free which
only calls kfree(tmp). The old page frag references captured in the
source scatterlist are never released:

  1. sg[] is built from old frags via skb_to_sgvec() (no extra get_page)
  2. nr_frags is set to 1 and frag[0] is replaced with the new page
  3. Second skb_to_sgvec() fails -> goto error_free
  4. kfree(tmp) frees the sg[] memory but old frags are not unref'd
  5. kfree_skb() only releases frag[0] (the new page), not the old ones

Fix this by calling esp_ssg_unref() before the goto error_free when the
second skb_to_sgvec() fails. At this point, the source scatterlist in
tmp is fully populated, so esp_ssg_unref() can properly release all old
page frag references.

The same issue exists in both esp4 and esp6 as the code is identical.

Fixes: cac2661c53f3 ("esp4: Avoid skb_cow_data whenever possible")
Fixes: 03e2a30f6a27 ("esp6: Avoid skb_cow_data whenever possible")

Signed-off-by: Alessandro Schino <7991aleschino@gmail.com>
---
 net/ipv4/esp4.c | 4 +++-
 net/ipv6/esp6.c | 4 +++-
 2 files changed, 6 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/net/ipv4/esp4.c b/net/ipv4/esp4.c
index 6a5febbdbee4..5c4b162c1bb5 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/esp4.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/esp4.c
@@ -569,8 +569,10 @@ int esp_output_tail(struct xfrm_state *x, struct sk_buff *skb, struct esp_info *
 		err = skb_to_sgvec(skb, dsg,
 			           (unsigned char *)esph - skb->data,
 			           assoclen + ivlen + esp->clen + alen);
-		if (unlikely(err < 0))
+		if (unlikely(err < 0)) {
+			esp_ssg_unref(x, tmp, skb);
 			goto error_free;
+		}
 	}
 
 	if ((x->props.flags & XFRM_STATE_ESN))
diff --git a/net/ipv6/esp6.c b/net/ipv6/esp6.c
index 9c06c5a1419d..9166e1da3615 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/esp6.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/esp6.c
@@ -600,8 +600,10 @@ int esp6_output_tail(struct xfrm_state *x, struct sk_buff *skb, struct esp_info
 		err = skb_to_sgvec(skb, dsg,
 			           (unsigned char *)esph - skb->data,
 			           assoclen + ivlen + esp->clen + alen);
-		if (unlikely(err < 0))
+		if (unlikely(err < 0)) {
+			esp_ssg_unref(x, tmp, skb);
 			goto error_free;
+		}
 	}
 
 	if ((x->props.flags & XFRM_STATE_ESN))
-- 
2.41.0.windows.3

Re: [PATCH] esp: fix page frag reference leak on skb_to_sgvec failure

[Steffen Klassert]

On Thu, May 14, 2026 at 11:42:11AM +0200, Alessandro Schino wrote:
> From: e521588 <alessandro.schino@sbb.ch>
> 
> In esp_output_tail(), when esp->inplace is false, the old skb page frags
> are replaced with a new page from the xfrm page_frag cache. The source
> scatterlist (sg) is built from the old frags before the replacement, and
> esp_ssg_unref() is responsible for releasing the old page references
> after the crypto operation completes.
> 
> However, if the second skb_to_sgvec() call (which builds the destination
> scatterlist from the new page) fails, the code jumps to error_free which
> only calls kfree(tmp). The old page frag references captured in the
> source scatterlist are never released:
> 
>   1. sg[] is built from old frags via skb_to_sgvec() (no extra get_page)
>   2. nr_frags is set to 1 and frag[0] is replaced with the new page
>   3. Second skb_to_sgvec() fails -> goto error_free
>   4. kfree(tmp) frees the sg[] memory but old frags are not unref'd
>   5. kfree_skb() only releases frag[0] (the new page), not the old ones
> 
> Fix this by calling esp_ssg_unref() before the goto error_free when the
> second skb_to_sgvec() fails. At this point, the source scatterlist in
> tmp is fully populated, so esp_ssg_unref() can properly release all old
> page frag references.
> 
> The same issue exists in both esp4 and esp6 as the code is identical.
> 
> Fixes: cac2661c53f3 ("esp4: Avoid skb_cow_data whenever possible")
> Fixes: 03e2a30f6a27 ("esp6: Avoid skb_cow_data whenever possible")
> 
> Signed-off-by: Alessandro Schino <7991aleschino@gmail.com>
> ---
>  net/ipv4/esp4.c | 4 +++-
>  net/ipv6/esp6.c | 4 +++-
>  2 files changed, 6 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/net/ipv4/esp4.c b/net/ipv4/esp4.c
> index 6a5febbdbee4..5c4b162c1bb5 100644
> --- a/net/ipv4/esp4.c
> +++ b/net/ipv4/esp4.c
> @@ -569,8 +569,10 @@ int esp_output_tail(struct xfrm_state *x, struct sk_buff *skb, struct esp_info *
>  		err = skb_to_sgvec(skb, dsg,
>  			           (unsigned char *)esph - skb->data,
>  			           assoclen + ivlen + esp->clen + alen);
> -		if (unlikely(err < 0))
> +		if (unlikely(err < 0)) {
> +			esp_ssg_unref(x, tmp, skb);

Maybe we need some variant of esp_ssg_unref() that does not
check the src and dst of the crypto request as this is
initialized later in the function.

[PATCH] esp: fix page frag reference leak on skb_to_sgvec failure

[Alessandro Schino]

From: e521588 <alessandro.schino@sbb.ch>

In esp_output_tail(), when esp->inplace is false, the old skb page frags
are replaced with a new page from the xfrm page_frag cache. The source
scatterlist (sg) is built from the old frags before the replacement, and
esp_ssg_unref() is responsible for releasing the old page references
after the crypto operation completes.

However, if the second skb_to_sgvec() call (which builds the destination
scatterlist from the new page) fails, the code jumps to error_free which
only calls kfree(tmp). The old page frag references captured in the
source scatterlist are never released:

  1. sg[] is built from old frags via skb_to_sgvec() (no extra get_page)
  2. nr_frags is set to 1 and frag[0] is replaced with the new page
  3. Second skb_to_sgvec() fails -> goto error_free
  4. kfree(tmp) frees the sg[] memory but old frags are not unref'd
  5. kfree_skb() only releases frag[0] (the new page), not the old ones

Fix this by introducing esp_ssg_unref_frags(), a variant of
esp_ssg_unref() that unconditionally unrefs the source scatterlist
frags without checking req->src and req->dst, since those fields are
not yet initialized at this point. The new function is called before
the goto error_free when the second skb_to_sgvec() fails, at which
point the source scatterlist in tmp is fully populated.

The same issue exists in both esp4 and esp6 as the code is identical.

Fixes: cac2661c53f3 ("esp4: Avoid skb_cow_data whenever possible")
Fixes: 03e2a30f6a27 ("esp6: Avoid skb_cow_data whenever possible")

Signed-off-by: Alessandro Schino <7991aleschino@gmail.com>
---
 net/ipv4/esp4.c | 22 +++++++++++++++++++++-
 net/ipv6/esp6.c | 22 +++++++++++++++++++++-
 2 files changed, 42 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/net/ipv4/esp4.c b/net/ipv4/esp4.c
index 5c4b162c1bb5..bc5245c6a29a 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/esp4.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/esp4.c
@@ -119,6 +119,26 @@ static void esp_ssg_unref(struct xfrm_state *x, void *tmp, struct sk_buff *skb)
 				       skb->pp_recycle);
 }
 
+static void esp_ssg_unref_frags(struct xfrm_state *x, void *tmp,
+                                struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+	struct crypto_aead *aead = x->data;
+	int extralen = 0;
+	u8 *iv;
+	struct aead_request *req;
+	struct scatterlist *sg;
+
+	if (x->props.flags & XFRM_STATE_ESN)
+		extralen += sizeof(struct esp_output_extra);
+
+	iv = esp_tmp_iv(aead, tmp, extralen);
+	req = esp_tmp_req(aead, iv);
+
+	for (sg = sg_next(req->src); sg; sg = sg_next(sg))
+		skb_page_unref(page_to_netmem(sg_page(sg)),
+			       skb->pp_recycle);
+}
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_INET_ESPINTCP
 static struct sock *esp_find_tcp_sk(struct xfrm_state *x)
 {
@@ -570,7 +590,7 @@ int esp_output_tail(struct xfrm_state *x, struct sk_buff *skb, struct esp_info *
 			           (unsigned char *)esph - skb->data,
 			           assoclen + ivlen + esp->clen + alen);
 		if (unlikely(err < 0)) {
-			esp_ssg_unref(x, tmp, skb);
+			esp_ssg_unref_frags(x, tmp, skb);
 			goto error_free;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/net/ipv6/esp6.c b/net/ipv6/esp6.c
index 9166e1da3615..9bb7242543d8 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/esp6.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/esp6.c
@@ -136,6 +136,26 @@ static void esp_ssg_unref(struct xfrm_state *x, void *tmp, struct sk_buff *skb)
 				       skb->pp_recycle);
 }
 
+static void esp_ssg_unref_frags(struct xfrm_state *x, void *tmp,
+                                struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+	struct crypto_aead *aead = x->data;
+	int extralen = 0;
+	u8 *iv;
+	struct aead_request *req;
+	struct scatterlist *sg;
+
+	if (x->props.flags & XFRM_STATE_ESN)
+		extralen += sizeof(struct esp_output_extra);
+
+	iv = esp_tmp_iv(aead, tmp, extralen);
+	req = esp_tmp_req(aead, iv);
+
+	for (sg = sg_next(req->src); sg; sg = sg_next(sg))
+		skb_page_unref(page_to_netmem(sg_page(sg)),
+			       skb->pp_recycle);
+}
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_INET6_ESPINTCP
 static struct sock *esp6_find_tcp_sk(struct xfrm_state *x)
 {
@@ -601,7 +621,7 @@ int esp6_output_tail(struct xfrm_state *x, struct sk_buff *skb, struct esp_info
 			           (unsigned char *)esph - skb->data,
 			           assoclen + ivlen + esp->clen + alen);
 		if (unlikely(err < 0)) {
-			esp_ssg_unref(x, tmp, skb);
+			esp_ssg_unref_frags(x, tmp, skb);
 			goto error_free;
 		}
 	}
-- 
2.41.0.windows.3

Re: [PATCH] esp: fix page frag reference leak on skb_to_sgvec failure

[Steffen Klassert]

On Sat, May 16, 2026 at 11:20:01AM +0200, Alessandro Schino wrote:
> From: e521588 <alessandro.schino@sbb.ch>
> 
> In esp_output_tail(), when esp->inplace is false, the old skb page frags
> are replaced with a new page from the xfrm page_frag cache. The source
> scatterlist (sg) is built from the old frags before the replacement, and
> esp_ssg_unref() is responsible for releasing the old page references
> after the crypto operation completes.
> 
> However, if the second skb_to_sgvec() call (which builds the destination
> scatterlist from the new page) fails, the code jumps to error_free which
> only calls kfree(tmp). The old page frag references captured in the
> source scatterlist are never released:
> 
>   1. sg[] is built from old frags via skb_to_sgvec() (no extra get_page)
>   2. nr_frags is set to 1 and frag[0] is replaced with the new page
>   3. Second skb_to_sgvec() fails -> goto error_free
>   4. kfree(tmp) frees the sg[] memory but old frags are not unref'd
>   5. kfree_skb() only releases frag[0] (the new page), not the old ones
> 
> Fix this by introducing esp_ssg_unref_frags(), a variant of
> esp_ssg_unref() that unconditionally unrefs the source scatterlist
> frags without checking req->src and req->dst, since those fields are
> not yet initialized at this point. The new function is called before
> the goto error_free when the second skb_to_sgvec() fails, at which
> point the source scatterlist in tmp is fully populated.
> 
> The same issue exists in both esp4 and esp6 as the code is identical.
> 
> Fixes: cac2661c53f3 ("esp4: Avoid skb_cow_data whenever possible")
> Fixes: 03e2a30f6a27 ("esp6: Avoid skb_cow_data whenever possible")
> 
> Signed-off-by: Alessandro Schino <7991aleschino@gmail.com>
> ---
>  net/ipv4/esp4.c | 22 +++++++++++++++++++++-
>  net/ipv6/esp6.c | 22 +++++++++++++++++++++-
>  2 files changed, 42 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/net/ipv4/esp4.c b/net/ipv4/esp4.c
> index 5c4b162c1bb5..bc5245c6a29a 100644
> --- a/net/ipv4/esp4.c
> +++ b/net/ipv4/esp4.c
> @@ -119,6 +119,26 @@ static void esp_ssg_unref(struct xfrm_state *x, void *tmp, struct sk_buff *skb)
>  				       skb->pp_recycle);
>  }
>  
> +static void esp_ssg_unref_frags(struct xfrm_state *x, void *tmp,
> +                                struct sk_buff *skb)
> +{
> +	struct crypto_aead *aead = x->data;
> +	int extralen = 0;
> +	u8 *iv;
> +	struct aead_request *req;
> +	struct scatterlist *sg;
> +
> +	if (x->props.flags & XFRM_STATE_ESN)
> +		extralen += sizeof(struct esp_output_extra);
> +
> +	iv = esp_tmp_iv(aead, tmp, extralen);
> +	req = esp_tmp_req(aead, iv);
> +
> +	for (sg = sg_next(req->src); sg; sg = sg_next(sg))
> +		skb_page_unref(page_to_netmem(sg_page(sg)),
> +			       skb->pp_recycle);
> +}

Sorry, I wasn't exactly precise. Instead of duplicating esp_ssg_unref()
it might make more sense to add a flag to esp_ssg_unref() and check
src and dst of the crypto request based on that flag.