[PATCH net v3] rust: net: netlink: validate attribute length before casting to `c_int`

From: Sagar Taunk

Date: Fri Sep 18 2026 - 06:11:08 EST


`put()` trusted an unchecked `as` cast from `usize` to `c_int`.
When the length exceeds `i32::MAX` that cast wraps around to a
negative value.

This ultimately resulted in a kernel panic when the reinterpreted
value via `__nla_reserve()` and `skb_put()` became enormous.

Validate payload and header both fit together in a `u16`, rejecting
any payload that wouldn't leave room for `NLA_HDRLEN`.

Fixes: 5eaa5fbb6e6c ("rust: netlink: add raw netlink abstraction")

Reviewed-by: Alice Ryhl <aliceryhl@xxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Sagar Taunk <sagartaunk@xxxxxxxxx>
---
rust/kernel/net/netlink.rs | 9 +++++++++
1 file changed, 9 insertions(+)

diff --git a/rust/kernel/net/netlink.rs b/rust/kernel/net/netlink.rs
index a2f4bd171dcf..36f2e39c3ab7 100644
--- a/rust/kernel/net/netlink.rs
+++ b/rust/kernel/net/netlink.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
use kernel::{
alloc::{self, AllocError},
error::to_result,
+ num::casts::u16_as_usize,
prelude::*,
types::Opaque,
ThisModule,
@@ -90,9 +91,17 @@ fn put<T>(&mut self, attrtype: c_int, value: &T) -> Result
where
T: ?Sized + IntoBytes + Immutable,
{
+ // `nla_len` is a 16-bit field that encodes the total attribute length
+ // (header + payload). Subtracting the header size from `u16::MAX` gives
+ // the largest payload that still fits within that field.
+ const MAX_PAYLOAD_LEN: usize = u16_as_usize(u16::MAX) - size_of::<bindings::nlattr>();
+
let skb = self.skb.skb.as_ptr();
let len = size_of_val(value);
let ptr = core::ptr::from_ref(value).cast::<c_void>();
+ if len > MAX_PAYLOAD_LEN {
+ return Err(EMSGSIZE);
+ }
// SAFETY: `skb` is valid by `NetlinkSkBuff` type invariants, and the provided value is
// readable and initialized for its `size_of` bytes.
to_result(unsafe { bindings::nla_put(skb, attrtype, len as c_int, ptr) })
--
2.55.0