[PATCH net v4 0/2] net: prevent partial checksums from modifying IPv4 headers

From: Paulos Yibelo

Date: Sat Sep 19 2026 - 20:47:58 EST


A TUN or virtio-net user can supply CHECKSUM_PARTIAL metadata whose
checksum start resolves inside the IPv4 header after link-layer headers
are removed. On the IPv4 fragmentation path, skb_checksum_help() may then
modify an IHL which was already parsed and validated. ip_do_fragment()
subsequently trusts the changed IHL and can copy beyond the skb's logical
linear head into emitted IPv4 options.

Patch 1 validates the checksum start relative to skb_network_header().
Patch 2 independently validates and retains the IPv4 header length before
checksum completion.

The issue and this series were reviewed privately. The source reproducer
and complete runtime evidence remain available privately.

Validation included strict checkpatch, focused W=1 builds, a complete
build, two test boots, a legitimate fragmented CHECKSUM_PARTIAL control,
and both forged cases.

Paulos Yibelo (2):
net: validate virtio checksum start after network header
ipv4: reject partial checksums covering the IP header

include/linux/virtio_net.h | 5 +++--
net/ipv4/ip_output.c | 23 +++++++++++++++++------
2 files changed, 20 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

base-commit: 9d565b6b72fe3f41fd43636e143072848105189f