Re: [RFC PATCH net-next] netfilter: nf_conntrack: add ct expression support for netdev egress chains

From: Florian Westphal

Date: Tue Oct 06 2026 - 07:42:29 EST


Hari Chandrakanthan <hari.chandrakanthan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Add support for using the ct expression in nftables netdev egress chains.
> This enables QoS policy enforcement at the netdev egress hook by
> allowing ct operations such as copying connmark to packet mark.

Ok so far.

> Add an explicit NFPROTO_NETDEV case in nf_ct_netns_get() and
> nf_ct_netns_put() that enables conntrack for IPv4, IPv6 and bridge when a
> ct expression is added to a netdev chain.

Why? The egress chain is passive (its a 'read property off ct'). why
does it have to turn on conntrack, let alone for bridge too?

> Restrict ct expression use in the netdev family to egress hooks only, as
> the connection entry is not yet available at ingress.

This makes sense.

> Sharing this change as an RFC, to get feedback. The patch has been tested
> by configuring nft rules at netdev egress hook to set ct mark and copy
> ct mark into skb->mark. Also, the patch is validated at netdev ingress to
> ensure the nft rule with ct mark set action is rejected.
>
> Signed-off-by: Hari Chandrakanthan <hari.chandrakanthan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto.c | 26 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> net/netfilter/nft_ct.c | 22 ++++++++++++++++++++++
> 2 files changed, 48 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto.c
> index 7a40e4e0e33e..b8ee46262901 100644
> --- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto.c
> +++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_proto.c
> @@ -587,11 +587,36 @@ static int nf_ct_netns_inet_get(struct net *net)
> int nf_ct_netns_get(struct net *net, u8 nfproto)
> {
> int err;
> + bool bridge_acquired = false;
>
> switch (nfproto) {
> case NFPROTO_INET:
> err = nf_ct_netns_inet_get(net);
> break;
> + case NFPROTO_NETDEV:
> + err = nf_ct_netns_do_get(net, NFPROTO_BRIDGE);
> + if (err < 0) {
> + mutex_lock(&nf_ct_proto_mutex);
> + if (nf_ct_bridge_info) {
> + /* Module present but hook registration failed.*/
> + mutex_unlock(&nf_ct_proto_mutex);
> + return err;
> + }
> + mutex_unlock(&nf_ct_proto_mutex);
> + /* Bridge module absent, netdev egress handles routed
> + * traffic too, bridge conntrack is only needed for
> + * bridged frames.
> + */
> + } else {
> + bridge_acquired = true;
> + }
> + err = nf_ct_netns_inet_get(net);
> + if (err < 0) {
> + if (bridge_acquired)
> + nf_ct_netns_put(net, NFPROTO_BRIDGE);
> + return err;
> + }
> + break;

I don't understand the need for this. Conntrack needs to be enabled to
track, but your use case makes no sense if conntrack isn't being used
already.

> diff --git a/net/netfilter/nft_ct.c b/net/netfilter/nft_ct.c
> index 3c4c2faa7398..e90e73475b0c 100644
> --- a/net/netfilter/nft_ct.c
> +++ b/net/netfilter/nft_ct.c
> @@ -649,6 +649,15 @@ static void nft_ct_get_destroy(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
> nf_ct_netns_put(ctx->net, ctx->family);
> }
>
> +static int nft_ct_validate(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
> + const struct nft_expr *expr)
> +{
> + if (ctx->family != NFPROTO_NETDEV)
> + return 0;
> +
> + return nft_chain_validate_hooks(ctx->chain, 1 << NF_NETDEV_EGRESS);
> +}
> +
> static void nft_ct_set_destroy(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
> const struct nft_expr *expr)
> {
> @@ -732,6 +741,7 @@ static const struct nft_expr_ops nft_ct_get_ops = {
> .init = nft_ct_get_init,
> .destroy = nft_ct_get_destroy,
> .dump = nft_ct_get_dump,
> + .validate = nft_ct_validate,
> };

OK.

> #ifdef CONFIG_MITIGATION_RETPOLINE
> @@ -742,6 +752,7 @@ static const struct nft_expr_ops nft_ct_get_fast_ops = {
> .init = nft_ct_get_init,
> .destroy = nft_ct_get_destroy,
> .dump = nft_ct_get_dump,
> + .validate = nft_ct_validate,
> };
> #endif

OK.
> @@ -752,9 +763,19 @@ static const struct nft_expr_ops nft_ct_set_ops = {
> .init = nft_ct_set_init,
> .destroy = nft_ct_set_destroy,
> .dump = nft_ct_set_dump,
> + .validate = nft_ct_validate,
> };

Not sure. Whats the use case to set connmark, labels etc. at netdev
egress stage? I think use case was to READ those at egress stage
to set skb->mark etc?

> #ifdef CONFIG_NF_CONNTRACK_ZONES
> +static int nft_ct_set_zone_validate(const struct nft_ctx *ctx,
> + const struct nft_expr *expr)
> +{
> + if (ctx->family == NFPROTO_NETDEV)
> + return -EOPNOTSUPP;
> +
> + return 0;
> +}
> +
> static const struct nft_expr_ops nft_ct_set_zone_ops = {
> .type = &nft_ct_type,
> .size = NFT_EXPR_SIZE(sizeof(struct nft_ct)),
> @@ -762,6 +783,7 @@ static const struct nft_expr_ops nft_ct_set_zone_ops = {
> .init = nft_ct_set_init,
> .destroy = nft_ct_set_destroy,
> .dump = nft_ct_set_dump,
> + .validate = nft_ct_set_zone_validate,

Makes sense to reject it.