CVE-2026-43455
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
mctp: route: hold key->lock in mctp_flow_prepare_output()
mctp_flow_prepare_output() checks key->dev and may call
mctp_dev_set_key(), but it does not hold key->lock while doing so.
mctp_dev_set_key() and mctp_dev_release_key() are annotated with
__must_hold(&key->lock), so key->dev access is intended to be
serialized by key->lock. The mctp_sendmsg() transmit path reaches
mctp_flow_prepare_output() via mctp_local_output() -> mctp_dst_output()
without holding key->lock, so the check-and-set sequence is racy.
Example interleaving:
CPU0 CPU1
---- ----
mctp_flow_prepare_output(key, devA)
if (!key->dev) // sees NULL
mctp_flow_prepare_output(
key, devB)
if (!key->dev) // still NULL
mctp_dev_set_key(devB, key)
mctp_dev_hold(devB)
key->dev = devB
mctp_dev_set_key(devA, key)
mctp_dev_hold(devA)
key->dev = devA // overwrites devB
Now both devA and devB references were acquired, but only the final
key->dev value is tracked for release. One reference can be lost,
causing a resource leak as mctp_dev_release_key() would only decrease
the reference on one dev.
Fix by taking key->lock around the key->dev check and
mctp_dev_set_key() call.