Group the HostInfo fields the packet paths touch

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -7,6 +7,88 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [1.11.0] - 2026-07-23
+
+See the [v1.11.0](https://github.com/slackhq/nebula/milestone/25?closed=1) milestone for a complete list of changes.
+
+### Breaking
+
+- Logging has switched from logrus to Go's structured `slog`. Log output changes: levels are upper case
+  (`level=INFO`), trace prints as `level=DEBUG-4`, timestamps are always RFC3339Nano and `logging.timestamp_format`
+  is ignored, and some messages were reworded. Review any log parsing before upgrading. This is also an API break
+  for embedders, as constructors now take a `*slog.Logger`. (#1672, #1734, #1621)
+- `firewall.inbound_action` and `firewall.outbound_action` (used to set reject vs. drop policy) were each being
+  applied to the opposite direction, that is now corrected. This only affects how blocked packets are answered, not
+  which packets the firewall allows or denies. If you set either of these you are getting the behavior of the other
+  one today and likely want to swap them before upgrading. (#1798)
+- On Windows, Nebula now installs WFP PERMIT filters for the nebula adapter and the listener port by default. WFP
+  sits below Windows Defender Firewall, so any WDF inbound rules you rely on for either will no longer apply. Set
+  `tun.windows_bypass_wdf` and `listen.windows_bypass_wdf` to false to leave WDF in charge. (#1710)
+- On Windows, the nebula device is now set to the `private` network category instead of whatever Windows decided,
+  which is usually `Public`. This makes the host firewall less restrictive on the overlay. Set
+  `tun.network_category` to `unset` to keep the old behavior. (#1710)
+- Reject packets for non-TCP now use ICMP code 13, communication administratively prohibited, instead of code 3,
+  port unreachable. Anything keying off the old code needs updating. (#1766, #1768)
+- The SSH debug server's profiling commands are now confined to `sshd.sandbox_dir`, which defaults to
+  `$TMP/nebula-debug`. Relative paths resolve inside it and absolute paths outside it are rejected, so anything
+  scripting `start-cpu-profile`, `save-heap-profile`, or `save-mutex-profile` with a path elsewhere needs the
+  directory set. The directory is not created for you. (#1622)
+
+### Added
+
+- Sign the Windows release binaries. (#1718)
+- Generate IPv6 reject packets, matching the existing IPv4 behavior. (#1766, #1767, #1768)
+- Accept `-` in `nebula-cert` to read from stdin or write to stdout. (#1714)
+- Search for both `config.yml` and `config.yaml` in service and command line modes. (#1717)
+- Add version labels to the Docker/OCI images. (#1772)
+- Rebind the listener and re-query lighthouses on macOS when the underlay network changes, so devices moving
+  between wifi and wired or between networks recover without waiting for dead tunnel detection. Controlled by
+  `listen.rebind_on_network_change` (default `true`, not reloadable). (#1816)
+
+### Changed
+
+- Reload the firewall when the unsafe networks in the certificate change. (#1719)
+- Reconfigure, start, and stop the stats listener on a config reload instead of requiring a restart. (#1670)
+- Update a static host's addresses when they change on reload. (#1713)
+- Don't require a port on ICMP firewall rules. (#1609)
+- Connection track ICMP traffic. (#1602)
+- Return `NODATA` instead of `NXDOMAIN` from the DNS server for a name that exists but has no record of the
+  requested type, so clients that query `AAAA` first (busybox/Alpine) fall through to `A`. (#1668)
+- Record the local host's details in the DNS server. (#1716)
+- Install Windows unsafe routes as link routes. (#1709)
+- Reduce relay handshake log spam, and only log a handshake send error at error level when the remote list
+  changes. (#1733, #1765, #1810)
+- Start, stop, and reload subsystems (DNS, stats, conntrack, ssh, punchy) cleanly without leaking goroutines. (#1640, #1654, #1661, #1667, #1669, #1708, #1806, #1815)
+- `Control` is now safe to stop and wait on from any lifecycle state, and a new `Control.Wait` blocks until nebula
+  has fully stopped and returns the first fatal reader error. Failed starts release the udp sockets and tun fd
+  instead of leaking them. (#1794)
+- Trigger an immediate lighthouse update when reconnecting to or adding a lighthouse instead of waiting for the next update tick. (#1645)
+- Bring the Darwin and OpenBSD tun implementations in line with the other BSDs. (#1703)
+- Update to build against go v1.26. (#1818)
+- Various dependency updates. (#1586, #1587, #1604, #1617, #1618, #1627, #1628, #1629, #1652, #1664, #1665, #1697, #1721, #1732, #1742, #1743, #1750, #1763, #1771, #1782, #1800, #1807)
+
+### Fixed
+
+- Fix a data race on a host's remote address that could send packets to the wrong address during a roam. (#1773)
+- Fix tunnels that could permanently escape connection manager monitoring. (#1752)
+- Fix a crash when reloading the SSH server's trusted keys. (#1787)
+- Fix hostmap corruption when a host has multiple overlay addresses. Each address now gets its own list instead of
+  a single shared chain, which also fixes two latent bugs on the add and makePrimary paths. (#1788, #1790)
+- Apply `remote_allow_list` IPv4 rules to 4-in-6 mapped addresses. (#1786)
+- Don't panic in the DNS server on a short or empty query name. (#1635)
+- Advance the replay window on relayed packets so a relay drops replayed frames instead of re-forwarding them. (#1751)
+- Fix a race in relay state handling. (#1753)
+- Lock replay window updates so concurrent readers can't corrupt it. (#1802)
+- Reject malformed handshakes more reliably, including invalid ed25519 key lengths. (#1601, #1756)
+- Properly handle `closetunnel` packets. (#1638)
+- Fix an IPv6 extension-header length overflow that could make the firewall parse the wrong protocol and ports. (#1789)
+- Fix relay re-establishment when a handshake arrives over a relay entry that a one-sided teardown left
+  `Disestablished`, which silently dropped every send until dead tunnel detection forced a re-handshake. (#1805)
+- Don't build new relay state on a tunnel that was just discarded. (#1796)
+- Don't delete the wrong pending hostinfo in the handshake manager. (#1811)
+- Don't call the packet reader after a UDP error on Darwin. (#1755)
+- Open the FreeBSD tun device non blocking. (#1666)
+
 ## [1.10.3] - 2026-02-06
 
 ### Security

connection_manager.go

@@ -105,11 +105,12 @@ func (cm *connectionManager) getInactivityTimeout() time.Duration {
 }
 
 func (cm *connectionManager) In(h *HostInfo) {
-	h.in.Store(true)
+	h.markIn()
 }
 
-func (cm *connectionManager) Out(h *HostInfo) {
+// Out records outbound traffic and reports whether the local network changed since this tunnel last sent.
-	h.out.Store(true)
+func (cm *connectionManager) Out(h *HostInfo) bool {
+	return h.markOut(cm.intf.rebindEpoch.Load())
 }
 
 func (cm *connectionManager) RelayUsed(localIndex uint32) {
@@ -128,8 +129,7 @@ func (cm *connectionManager) RelayUsed(localIndex uint32) {
 // getAndResetTrafficCheck returns if there was any inbound or outbound traffic within the last tick and
 // resets the state for this local index
 func (cm *connectionManager) getAndResetTrafficCheck(h *HostInfo, now time.Time) (bool, bool) {
-	in := h.in.Swap(false)
+	in, out := h.takeTraffic()
-	out := h.out.Swap(false)
 	if in || out {
 		h.lastUsed = now
 	}
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ func (cm *connectionManager) makeTrafficDecision(localIndex uint32, now time.Tim
 				"tunnelCheck", m{"state": "alive", "method": "passive"},
 			)
 		}
-		hostinfo.pendingDeletion.Store(false)
+		hostinfo.setPendingDeletion(false)
 
 		if mainHostInfo {
 			decision = tryRehandshake
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ func (cm *connectionManager) makeTrafficDecision(localIndex uint32, now time.Tim
 		return decision, hostinfo, primary
 	}
 
-	if hostinfo.pendingDeletion.Load() {
+	if hostinfo.isPendingDeletion() {
 		// We have already sent a test packet and nothing was returned, this hostinfo is dead
 		hostinfo.logger(cm.l).Info("Tunnel status",
 			"tunnelCheck", m{"state": "dead", "method": "active"},
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ func (cm *connectionManager) makeTrafficDecision(localIndex uint32, now time.Tim
 		}
 	}
 
-	hostinfo.pendingDeletion.Store(true)
+	hostinfo.setPendingDeletion(true)
 	cm.trafficTimer.Add(hostinfo.localIndexId, cm.pendingDeletionInterval)
 	return decision, hostinfo, nil
 }

connection_manager_test.go

@@ -86,25 +86,25 @@ func Test_NewConnectionManagerTest(t *testing.T) {
 	// We saw traffic out to vpnIp
 	nc.Out(hostinfo)
 	nc.In(hostinfo)
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.pendingDeletion.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.isPendingDeletion())
 	assert.Contains(t, nc.hostMap.Hosts, hostinfo.vpnAddrs[0])
 	assert.Contains(t, nc.hostMap.Indexes, hostinfo.localIndexId)
-	assert.True(t, hostinfo.out.Load())
+	assert.True(t, hostinfo.sentSinceCheck())
-	assert.True(t, hostinfo.in.Load())
+	assert.True(t, (hostinfo.state.Load()&stateIn != 0))
 
 	// Do a traffic check tick, should not be pending deletion but should not have any in/out packets recorded
 	nc.doTrafficCheck(hostinfo.localIndexId, p, nb, out, time.Now())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.pendingDeletion.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.isPendingDeletion())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.out.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.sentSinceCheck())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.in.Load())
+	assert.False(t, (hostinfo.state.Load()&stateIn != 0))
 
 	// Do another traffic check tick, this host should be pending deletion now
 	nc.Out(hostinfo)
-	assert.True(t, hostinfo.out.Load())
+	assert.True(t, hostinfo.sentSinceCheck())
 	nc.doTrafficCheck(hostinfo.localIndexId, p, nb, out, time.Now())
-	assert.True(t, hostinfo.pendingDeletion.Load())
+	assert.True(t, hostinfo.isPendingDeletion())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.out.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.sentSinceCheck())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.in.Load())
+	assert.False(t, (hostinfo.state.Load()&stateIn != 0))
 	assert.Contains(t, nc.hostMap.Indexes, hostinfo.localIndexId)
 	assert.Contains(t, nc.hostMap.Hosts, hostinfo.vpnAddrs[0])
 
@@ -168,33 +168,33 @@ func Test_NewConnectionManagerTest2(t *testing.T) {
 	// We saw traffic out to vpnIp
 	nc.Out(hostinfo)
 	nc.In(hostinfo)
-	assert.True(t, hostinfo.in.Load())
+	assert.True(t, (hostinfo.state.Load()&stateIn != 0))
-	assert.True(t, hostinfo.out.Load())
+	assert.True(t, hostinfo.sentSinceCheck())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.pendingDeletion.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.isPendingDeletion())
 	assert.Contains(t, nc.hostMap.Hosts, hostinfo.vpnAddrs[0])
 	assert.Contains(t, nc.hostMap.Indexes, hostinfo.localIndexId)
 
 	// Do a traffic check tick, should not be pending deletion but should not have any in/out packets recorded
 	nc.doTrafficCheck(hostinfo.localIndexId, p, nb, out, time.Now())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.pendingDeletion.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.isPendingDeletion())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.out.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.sentSinceCheck())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.in.Load())
+	assert.False(t, (hostinfo.state.Load()&stateIn != 0))
 
 	// Do another traffic check tick, this host should be pending deletion now
 	nc.Out(hostinfo)
 	nc.doTrafficCheck(hostinfo.localIndexId, p, nb, out, time.Now())
-	assert.True(t, hostinfo.pendingDeletion.Load())
+	assert.True(t, hostinfo.isPendingDeletion())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.out.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.sentSinceCheck())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.in.Load())
+	assert.False(t, (hostinfo.state.Load()&stateIn != 0))
 	assert.Contains(t, nc.hostMap.Indexes, hostinfo.localIndexId)
 	assert.Contains(t, nc.hostMap.Hosts, hostinfo.vpnAddrs[0])
 
 	// We saw traffic, should no longer be pending deletion
 	nc.In(hostinfo)
 	nc.doTrafficCheck(hostinfo.localIndexId, p, nb, out, time.Now())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.pendingDeletion.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.isPendingDeletion())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.out.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.sentSinceCheck())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.in.Load())
+	assert.False(t, (hostinfo.state.Load()&stateIn != 0))
 	assert.Contains(t, nc.hostMap.Indexes, hostinfo.localIndexId)
 	assert.Contains(t, nc.hostMap.Hosts, hostinfo.vpnAddrs[0])
 }
@@ -253,31 +253,31 @@ func Test_NewConnectionManager_DisconnectInactive(t *testing.T) {
 	// Do a traffic check tick, in and out should be cleared but should not be pending deletion
 	nc.Out(hostinfo)
 	nc.In(hostinfo)
-	assert.True(t, hostinfo.out.Load())
+	assert.True(t, hostinfo.sentSinceCheck())
-	assert.True(t, hostinfo.in.Load())
+	assert.True(t, (hostinfo.state.Load()&stateIn != 0))
 
 	now := time.Now()
 	decision, _, _ := nc.makeTrafficDecision(hostinfo.localIndexId, now)
 	assert.Equal(t, tryRehandshake, decision)
 	assert.Equal(t, now, hostinfo.lastUsed)
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.pendingDeletion.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.isPendingDeletion())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.out.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.sentSinceCheck())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.in.Load())
+	assert.False(t, (hostinfo.state.Load()&stateIn != 0))
 
 	decision, _, _ = nc.makeTrafficDecision(hostinfo.localIndexId, now.Add(time.Second*5))
 	assert.Equal(t, doNothing, decision)
 	assert.Equal(t, now, hostinfo.lastUsed)
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.pendingDeletion.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.isPendingDeletion())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.out.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.sentSinceCheck())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.in.Load())
+	assert.False(t, (hostinfo.state.Load()&stateIn != 0))
 
 	// Do another traffic check tick, should still not be pending deletion
 	decision, _, _ = nc.makeTrafficDecision(hostinfo.localIndexId, now.Add(time.Second*10))
 	assert.Equal(t, doNothing, decision)
 	assert.Equal(t, now, hostinfo.lastUsed)
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.pendingDeletion.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.isPendingDeletion())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.out.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.sentSinceCheck())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.in.Load())
+	assert.False(t, (hostinfo.state.Load()&stateIn != 0))
 	assert.Contains(t, nc.hostMap.Indexes, hostinfo.localIndexId)
 	assert.Contains(t, nc.hostMap.Hosts, hostinfo.vpnAddrs[0])
 
@@ -285,9 +285,9 @@ func Test_NewConnectionManager_DisconnectInactive(t *testing.T) {
 	decision, _, _ = nc.makeTrafficDecision(hostinfo.localIndexId, now.Add(time.Minute*10))
 	assert.Equal(t, closeTunnel, decision)
 	assert.Equal(t, now, hostinfo.lastUsed)
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.pendingDeletion.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.isPendingDeletion())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.out.Load())
+	assert.False(t, hostinfo.sentSinceCheck())
-	assert.False(t, hostinfo.in.Load())
+	assert.False(t, (hostinfo.state.Load()&stateIn != 0))
 	assert.Contains(t, nc.hostMap.Indexes, hostinfo.localIndexId)
 	assert.Contains(t, nc.hostMap.Hosts, hostinfo.vpnAddrs[0])
 }

control.go

@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ func (c *Control) RebindUDPServer() {
 	c.f.lightHouse.SendUpdate()
 
 	// Let the main interface know that we rebound so that underlying tunnels know to trigger punches from their remotes
-	c.f.rebindCount++
+	c.f.rebindEpoch.Add(1)
 }
 
 // ListHostmapHosts returns details about the actual or pending (handshaking) hostmap by vpn ip

e2e/recovery_timing_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+//go:build e2e_testing
+// +build e2e_testing
+
+package e2e
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/cert"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/cert_test"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/e2e/router"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/udp"
+)
+
+// TestRecoveryTiming measures how long a tunnel takes to come back after the peer stops accepting our traffic,
+// which is what a laptop waking on a new network looks like from the peer's side: its NAT has no state for where
+// we are now, so everything we send disappears.
+//
+// It is a measurement, not a pass/fail assertion. Recovery is timed to the moment the peer punches back at us,
+// since that is when its NAT opens and the tunnel is usable again.
+//
+//	go test -tags e2e_testing -v -run TestRecoveryTiming ./e2e/
+func TestRecoveryTiming(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		name   string
+		rebind bool
+	}{
+		{"no trigger", false},
+		{"rebind counter", true},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			d, lost := measureRecovery(t, tc.rebind)
+			t.Logf("RESULT %-16s recovered in %-9v (%d packets lost)", tc.name, d.Round(time.Millisecond), lost)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// measureRecovery returns how long until the peer punched back, and how many of our packets died meanwhile. When
+// rebind is true we call RebindUDPServer once the tunnel goes dark, which is what the darwin network change
+// monitor does and what iOS has always done. When false, nothing tells nebula anything is wrong.
+func measureRecovery(t *testing.T, rebind bool) (time.Duration, int) {
+	t.Helper()
+	ca, _, caKey, _ := cert_test.NewTestCaCert(cert.Version2, cert.Curve_CURVE25519, time.Now(), time.Now().Add(10*time.Minute), nil, nil, []string{})
+
+	lhControl, lhVpnIpNet, lhUdpAddr, _ := newSimpleServer(cert.Version2, ca, caKey, "lh", "10.128.0.1/24", m{
+		"lighthouse": m{"am_lighthouse": true},
+	})
+
+	peerCfg := m{
+		"lighthouse": m{
+			"hosts":    []any{lhVpnIpNet[0].Addr().String()},
+			"interval": 600,
+			"local_allow_list": m{
+				"10.0.0.0/24": true,
+				"::/0":        false,
+			},
+		},
+		"static_host_map": m{
+			lhVpnIpNet[0].Addr().String(): []any{lhUdpAddr.String()},
+		},
+	}
+
+	myControl, myVpnIpNet, myUdpAddr, _ := newSimpleServer(cert.Version2, ca, caKey, "me", "10.128.0.2/24", peerCfg)
+	theirControl, theirVpnIpNet, theirUdpAddr, _ := newSimpleServer(cert.Version2, ca, caKey, "them", "10.128.0.3/24", peerCfg)
+
+	r := router.NewR(t, lhControl, myControl, theirControl)
+	defer r.RenderFlow()
+	defer func() {
+		lhControl.Stop()
+		myControl.Stop()
+		theirControl.Stop()
+	}()
+
+	lhControl.Start()
+	myControl.Start()
+	theirControl.Start()
+	r.RouteFor(time.Millisecond * 500)
+
+	myControl.InjectLightHouseAddr(theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), theirUdpAddr)
+	theirControl.InjectLightHouseAddr(myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), myUdpAddr)
+
+	myControl.InjectTunPacket(BuildTunUDPPacket(theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), 80, myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), 80, []byte("establish")))
+	r.RouteFor(time.Second)
+	if myControl.GetHostInfoByVpnAddr(theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), false) == nil {
+		t.Fatal("failed to establish the tunnel we are measuring")
+	}
+	r.RouteFor(time.Millisecond * 500)
+
+	// From here the peer's NAT has no state for us, everything we send it disappears
+	start := time.Now()
+	blackholed := 0
+	var recovered time.Duration
+
+	if rebind {
+		myControl.RebindUDPServer()
+	}
+
+	// Keep the tun busy the way someone retrying a stalled connection would
+	stop := make(chan struct{})
+	defer close(stop)
+	go func() {
+		tick := time.NewTicker(time.Millisecond * 200)
+		defer tick.Stop()
+		for {
+			select {
+			case <-stop:
+				return
+			case <-tick.C:
+				myControl.InjectTunPacket(BuildTunUDPPacket(
+					theirVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), 80, myVpnIpNet[0].Addr(), 80, []byte("retry")))
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	r.RouteForAllExitFuncOrTimeout(time.Second*30, func(p *udp.Packet, c *nebula.Control) router.ExitType {
+		if c == theirControl && p.From == myControl.GetUDPAddr() {
+			blackholed++
+			return router.Drop
+		}
+
+		// The peer reaching us directly is the moment its NAT opened, whether that is a punch or a handshake
+		if c == myControl && p.From == theirUdpAddr {
+			recovered = time.Since(start)
+			return router.RouteAndExit
+		}
+
+		return router.KeepRouting
+	})
+
+	if recovered == 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("no recovery within 30s (%d packets blackholed)", blackholed)
+	}
+	return recovered, blackholed
+}

e2e/router/router.go

@@ -153,6 +153,9 @@ const (
 	ExitNow ExitType = 1
 	// RouteAndExit routes this packet and exits immediately afterwards
 	RouteAndExit ExitType = 2
+	// Drop discards this packet without delivering it and keeps routing. Use it to simulate a blackhole, such as
+	// a restrictive NAT refusing traffic from an address it has not seen.
+	Drop ExitType = 3
 )
 
 type ExitFunc func(packet *udp.Packet, receiver *nebula.Control) ExitType
@@ -163,7 +166,9 @@ type ExitFunc func(packet *udp.Packet, receiver *nebula.Control) ExitType
 func NewR(t testing.TB, controls ...*nebula.Control) *R {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 
-	if err := os.MkdirAll("mermaid", 0755); err != nil {
+	// t.Name() contains a slash for subtests, so the flow log can land in a nested directory
+	fn := filepath.Join("mermaid", fmt.Sprintf("%s.md", t.Name()))
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(fn), 0755); err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
@@ -174,7 +179,7 @@ func NewR(t testing.TB, controls ...*nebula.Control) *R {
 		outNat:       make(map[outNatKey]netip.AddrPort),
 		flow:         []flowEntry{},
 		ignoreFlows:  []ignoreFlow{},
-		fn:           filepath.Join("mermaid", fmt.Sprintf("%s.md", t.Name())),
+		fn:           fn,
 		t:            t,
 		cancelRender: cancel,
 	}
@@ -687,6 +692,10 @@ func (r *R) RouteExitFunc(sender *nebula.Control, whatDo ExitFunc) {
 			p.Release()
 			return
 
+		case Drop:
+			// Record it so the flow log shows the attempt, but never hand it to the receiver
+			r.unlockedInjectFlow(sender, receiver, p, false)
+
 		case KeepRouting:
 			fp := r.unlockedInjectFlow(sender, receiver, p, false)
 			receiver.InjectUDPPacket(p)
@@ -779,6 +788,10 @@ func (r *R) RouteForAllExitFuncOrTimeout(timeout time.Duration, whatDo ExitFunc)
 			p.Release()
 			return true
 
+		case Drop:
+			// Record it so the flow log shows the attempt, but never hand it to the receiver
+			r.unlockedInjectFlow(cm[x], receiver, p, false)
+
 		case KeepRouting:
 			fp := r.unlockedInjectFlow(cm[x], receiver, p, false)
 			receiver.InjectUDPPacket(p)
@@ -884,6 +897,10 @@ func (r *R) RouteForAllExitFunc(whatDo ExitFunc) {
 			p.Release()
 			return
 
+		case Drop:
+			// Record it so the flow log shows the attempt, but never hand it to the receiver
+			r.unlockedInjectFlow(cm[x], receiver, p, false)
+
 		case KeepRouting:
 			fp := r.unlockedInjectFlow(cm[x], receiver, p, false)
 			receiver.InjectUDPPacket(p)

hostmap.go

@@ -238,18 +238,30 @@ const (
 )
 
 type HostInfo struct {
+	// The first cache line is everything the packet paths touch. Grouping them here means a send or receive
+	// pulls in one line instead of two, which is what the layout looked like when state lived at the end.
+
 	remote          atomic.Pointer[netip.AddrPort]
-	remotes         *RemoteList
-	promoteCounter  atomic.Uint32
 	ConnectionState *ConnectionState
-	remoteIndexId   uint32
+
-	localIndexId    uint32
+	// state holds everything the hot paths need to touch per packet, in one word: whether we have seen traffic
+	// each way since the connection manager last looked, whether it has given up on us, and the
+	// Interface.rebindEpoch this tunnel last sent under. Keeping the epoch here means it survives the traffic
+	// bits being cleared, so a tunnel that has not sent since a rebind still notices when it does.
+	state atomic.Uint32
+
+	promoteCounter atomic.Uint32
+	remoteIndexId  uint32
+	localIndexId   uint32
+	remotes        *RemoteList
 
 	// vpnAddrs is a list of vpn addresses assigned to this host that are within our own vpn networks
 	// The host may have other vpn addresses that are outside our
 	// vpn networks but were removed because they are not usable
 	vpnAddrs []netip.Addr
 
+	// Everything below is off the packet path: handshakes, relays, roaming and the connection manager.
+
 	// networks is a combination of specific vpn addresses (not prefixes!) and full unsafe networks assigned to this host.
 	networks   *bart.Table[NetworkType]
 	relayState RelayState
@@ -262,11 +274,6 @@ type HostInfo struct {
 	// This is used to limit lighthouse re-queries in chatty clients
 	nextLHQuery atomic.Int64
 
-	// lastRebindCount is the other side of Interface.rebindCount, if these values don't match then we need to ask LH
-	// for a punch from the remote end of this tunnel. The goal being to prime their conntrack for our traffic just like
-	// with a handshake
-	lastRebindCount int8
-
 	// lastHandshakeTime records the time the remote side told us about at the stage when the handshake was completed locally
 	// Stage 1 packet will contain it if I am a responder, stage 2 packet if I am an initiator
 	// This is used to avoid an attack where a handshake packet is replayed after some time
@@ -275,9 +282,6 @@ type HostInfo struct {
 	lastRoam       time.Time
 	lastRoamRemote netip.AddrPort
 
-	//TODO: in, out, and others might benefit from being an atomic.Int32. We could collapse connectionManager pendingDeletion, relayUsed, and in/out into this 1 thing
-	in, out, pendingDeletion atomic.Bool
-
 	// lastUsed tracks the last time ConnectionManager checked the tunnel and it was in use.
 	// This value will be behind against actual tunnel utilization in the hot path.
 	// This should only be used by the ConnectionManagers ticker routine.
@@ -658,7 +662,7 @@ func (hm *HostMap) unlockedAddHostInfo(hostinfo *HostInfo, f *Interface) {
 	hm.Indexes[hostinfo.localIndexId] = hostinfo
 	hm.RemoteIndexes[hostinfo.remoteIndexId] = hostinfo
 
-	hostinfo.out.Store(true)
+	hostinfo.markOut(f.rebindEpoch.Load())
 	if f.connectionManager != nil { // f.connectionManager is only nil in some unit tests
 		f.connectionManager.trafficTimer.Add(hostinfo.localIndexId, f.connectionManager.checkInterval)
 	}
@@ -759,6 +763,64 @@ func (i *HostInfo) TryPromoteBest(preferredRanges []netip.Prefix, ifce *Interfac
 	}
 }
 
+// Bits within HostInfo.state. Everything above stateEpochShift is the rebind epoch.
+const (
+	stateIn uint32 = 1 << iota
+	stateOut
+	statePendingDeletion
+
+	stateFlags      = stateIn | stateOut | statePendingDeletion
+	stateEpochShift = 3
+)
+
+// markIn records inbound traffic. Reading first keeps the cache line shared on the common path, where the bit
+// is already set.
+func (i *HostInfo) markIn() {
+	if i.state.Load()&stateIn == 0 {
+		i.state.Or(stateIn)
+	}
+}
+
+// markOut records that we sent on this tunnel under the given rebind epoch. It reports whether the epoch moved
+// since our last send, which means the local network changed and we want the far side to punch at us again.
+// The common path is a single load that matches and returns.
+func (i *HostInfo) markOut(epoch uint32) bool {
+	e := epoch << stateEpochShift
+	for {
+		old := i.state.Load()
+		if old&stateOut != 0 && old&^stateFlags == e {
+			return false
+		}
+
+		if i.state.CompareAndSwap(old, old&stateFlags|stateOut|e) {
+			return old&^stateFlags != e
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// sentSinceCheck reports whether anything has been sent since the connection manager last looked.
+func (i *HostInfo) sentSinceCheck() bool {
+	return i.state.Load()&stateOut != 0
+}
+
+// takeTraffic clears both traffic bits, leaving the epoch alone, and reports what they were.
+func (i *HostInfo) takeTraffic() (in bool, out bool) {
+	old := i.state.And(^(stateIn | stateOut))
+	return old&stateIn != 0, old&stateOut != 0
+}
+
+func (i *HostInfo) setPendingDeletion(v bool) {
+	if v {
+		i.state.Or(statePendingDeletion)
+	} else {
+		i.state.And(^statePendingDeletion)
+	}
+}
+
+func (i *HostInfo) isPendingDeletion() bool {
+	return i.state.Load()&statePendingDeletion != 0
+}
+
 func (i *HostInfo) GetCert() *cert.CachedCertificate {
 	if i.ConnectionState != nil {
 		return i.ConnectionState.peerCert

inside.go

@@ -365,17 +365,12 @@ func (f *Interface) sendNoMetrics(t header.MessageType, st header.MessageSubType
 
 	//l.WithField("trace", string(debug.Stack())).Error("out Header ", &Header{Version, t, st, 0, hostinfo.remoteIndexId, c}, p)
 	out = header.Encode(out, header.Version, t, st, hostinfo.remoteIndexId, c)
-	f.connectionManager.Out(hostinfo)
+	// We rebound since this tunnel last sent, so the local network moved. Ask the lighthouse to have the far side
-
+	// punch at where we are now, which primes their conntrack the same way a handshake would.
-	// Query our LH if we haven't since the last time we've been rebound, this will cause the remote to punch against
+	if f.connectionManager.Out(hostinfo) && t != header.CloseTunnel {
-	// all our addrs and enable a faster roaming.
-	if t != header.CloseTunnel && hostinfo.lastRebindCount != f.rebindCount {
-		//NOTE: there is an update hole if a tunnel isn't used and exactly 256 rebinds occur before the tunnel is
-		// finally used again. This tunnel would eventually be torn down and recreated if this action didn't help.
 		f.lightHouse.QueryServer(hostinfo.vpnAddrs[0])
-		hostinfo.lastRebindCount = f.rebindCount
 		if f.l.Enabled(context.Background(), slog.LevelDebug) {
-			f.l.Debug("Lighthouse update triggered for punch due to rebind counter",
+			f.l.Debug("Lighthouse update triggered for punch due to rebind epoch",
 				"vpnAddrs", hostinfo.vpnAddrs,
 			)
 		}

interface.go

@@ -82,8 +82,10 @@ type Interface struct {
 	sendRecvErrorConfig   recvErrorConfig
 	acceptRecvErrorConfig recvErrorConfig
 
-	// rebindCount is used to decide if an active tunnel should trigger a punch notification through a lighthouse
+	// rebindEpoch bumps every time the udp listener is rebound, which means the local network moved. Tunnels
-	rebindCount int8
+	// compare it against their own copy to decide they need a punch from the far side. Read on every send, only
+	// written on a rebind, so the cache line stays shared across the routines.
+	rebindEpoch atomic.Uint32
 	version     string
 
 	conntrackCacheTimeout time.Duration