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NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

CVE-2023-52851: IB/mlx5: Fix init stage error handling to avoid double free of same QP and UAF

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 31/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.23% (FIRST EPSS).
  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: Linux Linux 2ef422f063b74adcc4a4a9004b0a87bb55e0a836, 437f033e30c897bb3723eac9e9003cd9f88d00a3, 4f4a7a7d1404297f2a92df0046f7e64dc5c52dd9.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 2ef422f063b74adcc4a4a9004b0a87bb55e0a836, 437f033e30c897bb3723eac9e9003cd9f88d00a3, 4f4a7a7d1404297f2a92df0046f7e64dc5c52dd9 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: IB/mlx5: Fix init stage error handling to avoid double free of same QP and UAF In the unlikely event that workqueue allocation fails and returns NULL in mlx5_mkey_cache_init(), delete the call to mlx5r_umr_resource_cleanup() (which frees the QP) in mlx5_ib_stage_post_ib_reg_umr_init(). This will avoid attempted double free of the same QP when __mlx5_ib_add() does its cleanup. Resolves a splat: Syzkaller reported a UAF in ib_destroy_qp_user workqueue: Failed to create a rescuer kthread for wq "mkey_cache": -EINTR infiniband mlx5_0: mlx5_mkey_cache_init:981:(pid 1642): failed to create work queue infiniband mlx5_0: mlx5_ib_stage_post_ib_reg_umr_init:4075:(pid 1642): mr cache init failed -12 ================================================================== BUG: KASAN: slab-use-after-free in ib_destroy_qp_user (drivers/infiniband/core/verbs.c:2073) Read of size 8 at addr ffff88810da310a8 by task repro_upstream/1642 Call Trace: <TASK> kasan_report (mm/kasan/report.c:590) ib_destroy_qp_user (drivers/infiniband/core/verbs.c:2073) mlx5r_umr_resource_cleanup (drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/umr.c:198) __mlx5_ib_add (drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/main.c:4178) mlx5r_probe (drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/main.c:4402) ... </TASK> Allocated by task 1642: __kmalloc (./include/linux/kasan.h:198 mm/slab_common.c:1026 mm/slab_common.c:1039) create_qp (./include/linux/slab.h:603 ./include/linux/slab.h:720 ./include/rdma/ib_verbs.h:2795 drivers/infiniband/core/verbs.c:1209) ib_create_qp_kernel (drivers/infiniband/core/verbs.c:1347) mlx5r_umr_resource_init (drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/umr.c:164) mlx5_ib_stage_post_ib_reg_umr_init (drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/main.c:4070) __mlx5_ib_add (drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/main.c:4168) mlx5r_probe (drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/main.c:4402) ... Freed by task 1642: __kmem_cache_free (mm/slub.c:1826 mm/slub.c:3809 mm/slub.c:3822) ib_destroy_qp_user (drivers/infiniband/core/verbs.c:2112) mlx5r_umr_resource_cleanup (drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/umr.c:198) mlx5_ib_stage_post_ib_reg_umr_init (drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/main.c:4076 drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/main.c:4065) __mlx5_ib_add (drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/main.c:4168) mlx5r_probe (drivers/infiniband/hw/mlx5/main.c:4402) ...

HighCVSS 7.8 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
May 21, 2024
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
0.2% · 14th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

31

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
31 / 40 · 7.8 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
0 / 30 · 0.2%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
partial

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • linux linux kernel5.19 and later · before 6.1.63
  • linux linux kernel6.2 and later · before 6.5.12
  • linux linux kernel6.6 and later · before 6.6.2

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Linux). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • Linux Linux

    • 5.19affected
    • 04876c12c19e94bbbc94bb0446c7bc7cd75163de and later · before 437f033e30c897bb3723eac9e9003cd9f88d00a3affected · git
    • 04876c12c19e94bbbc94bb0446c7bc7cd75163de and later · before 4f4a7a7d1404297f2a92df0046f7e64dc5c52dd9affected · git
    • 04876c12c19e94bbbc94bb0446c7bc7cd75163de and later · before 6387f269d84e6e149499408c4d1fc805017729b2affected · git
    • 04876c12c19e94bbbc94bb0446c7bc7cd75163de and later · before 2ef422f063b74adcc4a4a9004b0a87bb55e0a836affected · git
    • before 5.19not affected · semver
    • 6.1.63 and later · up to and including 6.1.*not affected · semver
    • 6.5.12 and later · up to and including 6.5.*not affected · semver
    • 6.6.2 and later · up to and including 6.6.*not affected · semver
    • 6.7 and laternot affected · original_commit_for_fix

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12linuxbefore 6.1.64-16.1.64-1
Debian:13linuxbefore 6.6.8-16.6.8-1

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-31431crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-placeKEV
    90Now
  • CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe KEV
    89Now
  • CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV
    85Now

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2023-52849May 21, 2024 · cxl/mem: Fix shutdown order
    22Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2023-52850May 21, 2024 · media: hantro: Check whether reset op is defined before use
    22Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2023-52852May 21, 2024 · f2fs: compress: fix to avoid use-after-free on dic
    31Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Linux Linux2ef422f063b74adcc4a4a9004b0a87bb55e0a836Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux437f033e30c897bb3723eac9e9003cd9f88d00a3Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux4f4a7a7d1404297f2a92df0046f7e64dc5c52dd9Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux6387f269d84e6e149499408c4d1fc805017729b2Vendor (CNA)
debian:linux6.1.64-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

No dated events beyond publication.

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

  • CVE-2024-358144 days apartswiotlb: Fix double-allocation of slots due to broken alignment handling
    35Monitor
  • CVE-2023-527950 days apartvhost-vdpa: fix use after free in vhost_vdpa_probe()
    31Monitor
  • CVE-2021-474831 days apartregmap: Fix possible double-free in regcache_rbtree_exit()
    31Monitor
  • CVE-2021-475643 days apartnet: marvell: prestera: fix double free issue on err path
    31Monitor
  • CVE-2023-526794 days apartof: Fix double free in of_parse_phandle_with_args_map
    31Monitor
  • CVE-2024-358354 days apartnet/mlx5e: fix a double-free in arfs_create_groups
    31Monitor

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-415 · Double Free

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (3 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records