In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

veth: fix queue index used to wake the peer txq in veth_poll

veth_poll() derives the index of the peer TX queue to wake from
rq->xdp_rxq.queue_index. That field is only initialized by
xdp_rxq_info_reg() in veth_enable_xdp_range(), which runs only when an
XDP program is attached. On the plain GRO/NAPI path
(veth_napi_enable_range()) xdp_rxq_info_reg() is never called, so
queue_index stays 0 for every queue, as priv->rq is zero-allocated.

So in a multi-queue setup with GRO enabled and no XDP program attached,
every NAPI instance looks at the peer's TX queue 0. If veth_xmit() stops
peer TX queue 1 because the ptr_ring is full (NETDEV_TX_BUSY), nothing
ever wakes it again: the poller draining queue 1 wakes queue 0 instead.
veth implements no ndo_tx_timeout, so the netdev watchdog does not kick
in either, and the queue stays stopped indefinitely.

Derive the index from the position of the rq within priv->rq instead,
which is correct regardless of whether XDP was ever enabled.

Scripts to reproduce the stall are available at
https://github.com/netoptimizer/veth-backpressure-performance-testing
Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

No solution given by the vendor.


Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

History

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 18:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-399

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 14:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: veth: fix queue index used to wake the peer txq in veth_poll veth_poll() derives the index of the peer TX queue to wake from rq->xdp_rxq.queue_index. That field is only initialized by xdp_rxq_info_reg() in veth_enable_xdp_range(), which runs only when an XDP program is attached. On the plain GRO/NAPI path (veth_napi_enable_range()) xdp_rxq_info_reg() is never called, so queue_index stays 0 for every queue, as priv->rq is zero-allocated. So in a multi-queue setup with GRO enabled and no XDP program attached, every NAPI instance looks at the peer's TX queue 0. If veth_xmit() stops peer TX queue 1 because the ptr_ring is full (NETDEV_TX_BUSY), nothing ever wakes it again: the poller draining queue 1 wakes queue 0 instead. veth implements no ndo_tx_timeout, so the netdev watchdog does not kick in either, and the queue stays stopped indefinitely. Derive the index from the position of the rq within priv->rq instead, which is correct regardless of whether XDP was ever enabled. Scripts to reproduce the stall are available at https://github.com/netoptimizer/veth-backpressure-performance-testing
Title veth: fix queue index used to wake the peer txq in veth_poll
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
References

Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: Linux

Published:

Updated: 2026-08-26T14:36:53.580Z

Reserved: 2026-08-15T05:44:03.930Z

Link: CVE-2026-74742

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-08-26T15:16:52.990

Modified: 2026-08-26T15:16:52.990

Link: CVE-2026-74742

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-08-26T18:15:08Z

Weaknesses