ixgbevf_ipsec_find_rx_state() returns the state with an extra reference,
which is handed over to the secpath on the success path. When
secpath_set() fails, the state has not been stored anywhere yet and the
reference is dropped on the floor.

Release it before returning.

Fixes: 0062e7cc955e0 ("ixgbevf: add VF IPsec offload code")
Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
Signed-off-by: Wentao Liang <vulab@iscas.ac.cn>
---
 drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ipsec.c | 4 +++-
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ipsec.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ipsec.c
index 076fd0a24858..bf3fcab3bd57 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ipsec.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ipsec.c
@@ -596,8 +596,10 @@ void ixgbevf_ipsec_rx(struct ixgbevf_ring *rx_ring,
 		return;
 
 	sp = secpath_set(skb);
-	if (unlikely(!sp))
+	if (unlikely(!sp)) {
+		xfrm_state_put(xs);
 		return;
+	}
 
 	sp->xvec[sp->len++] = xs;
 	sp->olen++;
-- 
2.34.1

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wentao Liang <vulab@iscas.ac.cn>
> Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2026 1:14 PM
> To: andrew+netdev@lunn.ch
> Cc: Nguyen, Anthony L <anthony.l.nguyen@intel.com>;
> davem@davemloft.net; edumazet@google.com; intel-wired-
> lan@lists.osuosl.org; kuba@kernel.org; linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org;
> netdev@vger.kernel.org; pabeni@redhat.com; Kitszel, Przemyslaw
> <przemyslaw.kitszel@intel.com>; sln@onemain.com; Wentao Liang
> <vulab@iscas.ac.cn>; stable@vger.kernel.org
> Subject: [PATCH] ixgbevf: fix xfrm_state reference leak in
> ixgbevf_ipsec_rx()
> 
> ixgbevf_ipsec_find_rx_state() returns the state with an extra
> reference, which is handed over to the secpath on the success path.
> When
> secpath_set() fails, the state has not been stored anywhere yet and
> the reference is dropped on the floor.
> 
> Release it before returning.
> 
> Fixes: 0062e7cc955e0 ("ixgbevf: add VF IPsec offload code")
> Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
> Signed-off-by: Wentao Liang <vulab@iscas.ac.cn>
> ---
>  drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ipsec.c | 4 +++-
>  1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
> 
> diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ipsec.c
> b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ipsec.c
> index 076fd0a24858..bf3fcab3bd57 100644
> --- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ipsec.c
> +++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbevf/ipsec.c
> @@ -596,8 +596,10 @@ void ixgbevf_ipsec_rx(struct ixgbevf_ring
> *rx_ring,
>  		return;
> 
>  	sp = secpath_set(skb);
> -	if (unlikely(!sp))
> +	if (unlikely(!sp)) {
> +		xfrm_state_put(xs);
>  		return;
> +	}
> 
>  	sp->xvec[sp->len++] = xs;
>  	sp->olen++;
> --
> 2.34.1

Reviewed-by: Aleksandr Loktionov <aleksandr.loktionov@intel.com>

On Thu, Sep 17, 2026 at 11:14:18AM +0000, Wentao Liang wrote:
> ixgbevf_ipsec_find_rx_state() returns the state with an extra reference,
> which is handed over to the secpath on the success path. When
> secpath_set() fails, the state has not been stored anywhere yet and the
> reference is dropped on the floor.
> 
> Release it before returning.
> 
> Fixes: 0062e7cc955e0 ("ixgbevf: add VF IPsec offload code")
> Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
> Signed-off-by: Wentao Liang <vulab@iscas.ac.cn>

Reviewed-by: Simon Horman <horms@kernel.org>