[PATCH] selinux: don't label bridged packets in selinux_ip_forward()
From: Joas Antonio dos Santos
Date: Fri Oct 16 2026 - 10:44:39 EST
With br_netfilter and bridge-nf-call-ip{,6}tables enabled, bridged IP
packets go through the NF_INET_FORWARD hook, where selinux_ip_forward()
calls selinux_netlbl_skbuff_setsid() and NetLabel may add or remove a
CIPSO or CALIPSO option. cipso_v4_skbuff_setattr(),
calipso_skbuff_setattr() and calipso_skbuff_delattr() move the IP
header and reset the network header, but the Ethernet header stays
where it was; when the bridge pushes it back in front of the packet it
picks up stale bytes and the frame goes out with a garbage destination
MAC and EtherType.
Labeling a bridged packet based on its IP addresses is not what we want
here anyway, so leave bridged packets alone. Add a stub of
nf_bridge_info_exists() for CONFIG_BRIDGE_NETFILTER=n.
Tested with QEMU, two veths enslaved to a bridge with br_netfilter in
the middle, SELinux and a NetLabel DOI 16 configuration, 5 UDP packets
per case:
case before after
CALIPSO packet, unlabeled destination MAC garbage 5/5
unlabeled IPv6, CALIPSO destination MAC garbage 5/5
unlabeled IPv4, CIPSO destination MAC garbage 5/5
Routed packets are still labeled (an unlabeled packet forwarded towards
a CALIPSO destination gets the option, 5/5).
Fixes: 948bf85c1bc9 ("netlabel: Add functionality to set the security attributes of a packet")
Link: https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/CAHC9VhS+bdL_YnLQtd0sPmKKfy9BvS-LWV_6EhAuu4qfUFe_mw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
Suggested-by: Paul Moore <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Joas Antonio dos Santos <joasantonio108@xxxxxxxxx>
Assisted-by: Claude:claude-opus-5-5
---
include/linux/netfilter_bridge.h | 5 +++++
security/selinux/hooks.c | 13 ++++++++-----
2 files changed, 13 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)
diff --git a/include/linux/netfilter_bridge.h b/include/linux/netfilter_bridge.h
index 743475ca7..c1f7c3cb2 100644
--- a/include/linux/netfilter_bridge.h
+++ b/include/linux/netfilter_bridge.h
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ static inline bool nf_bridge_in_prerouting(const struct sk_buff *skb)
}
#else
#define br_drop_fake_rtable(skb) do { } while (0)
+static inline bool nf_bridge_info_exists(const struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+ return false;
+}
+
static inline bool nf_bridge_in_prerouting(const struct sk_buff *skb)
{
return false;
diff --git a/security/selinux/hooks.c b/security/selinux/hooks.c
index 30776b010..1e4f02f99 100644
--- a/security/selinux/hooks.c
+++ b/security/selinux/hooks.c
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
#include <linux/fs_parser.h>
#include <linux/netfilter_ipv4.h>
#include <linux/netfilter_ipv6.h>
+#include <linux/netfilter_bridge.h>
#include <linux/tty.h>
#include <net/icmp.h>
#include <net/ip.h> /* for local_port_range[] */
@@ -6145,11 +6146,13 @@ static unsigned int selinux_ip_forward(void *priv, struct sk_buff *skb,
SECCLASS_PACKET, PACKET__FORWARD_IN, &ad))
return NF_DROP;
- if (netlbl_enabled())
- /* we do this in the FORWARD path and not the POST_ROUTING
- * path because we want to make sure we apply the necessary
- * labeling before IPsec is applied so we can leverage AH
- * protection */
+ /* we do this in the FORWARD path and not the POST_ROUTING path
+ * because we want to make sure we apply the necessary labeling
+ * before IPsec is applied so we can leverage AH protection; bridged
+ * packets are skipped as changing their IP options would leave the
+ * Ethernet header behind
+ */
+ if (netlbl_enabled() && !nf_bridge_info_exists(skb))
if (selinux_netlbl_skbuff_setsid(skb, family, peer_sid) != 0)
return NF_DROP;
--
2.43.0