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NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

CVE-2023-52999: net: fix UaF in netns ops registration error path

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: 0.24% (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 12075708f2e77ee6a9f8bb2cf512c38be3099794, 4.19.272, 5.10.166.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 12075708f2e77ee6a9f8bb2cf512c38be3099794, 4.19.272, 5.10.166 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: net: fix UaF in netns ops registration error path If net_assign_generic() fails, the current error path in ops_init() tries to clear the gen pointer slot. Anyway, in such error path, the gen pointer itself has not been modified yet, and the existing and accessed one is smaller than the accessed index, causing an out-of-bounds error: BUG: KASAN: slab-out-of-bounds in ops_init+0x2de/0x320 Write of size 8 at addr ffff888109124978 by task modprobe/1018 CPU: 2 PID: 1018 Comm: modprobe Not tainted 6.2.0-rc2.mptcp_ae5ac65fbed5+ #1641 Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (Q35 + ICH9, 2009), BIOS 1.16.1-2.fc37 04/01/2014 Call Trace: <TASK> dump_stack_lvl+0x6a/0x9f print_address_description.constprop.0+0x86/0x2b5 print_report+0x11b/0x1fb kasan_report+0x87/0xc0 ops_init+0x2de/0x320 register_pernet_operations+0x2e4/0x750 register_pernet_subsys+0x24/0x40 tcf_register_action+0x9f/0x560 do_one_initcall+0xf9/0x570 do_init_module+0x190/0x650 load_module+0x1fa5/0x23c0 __do_sys_finit_module+0x10d/0x1b0 do_syscall_64+0x58/0x80 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x72/0xdc RIP: 0033:0x7f42518f778d Code: 00 c3 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 90 f3 0f 1e fa 48 89 f8 48 89 f7 48 89 d6 48 89 ca 4d 89 c2 4d 89 c8 4c 8b 4c 24 08 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 8b 0d cb 56 2c 00 f7 d8 64 89 01 48 RSP: 002b:00007fff96869688 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000139 RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 00005568ef7f7c90 RCX: 00007f42518f778d RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 00005568ef41d796 RDI: 0000000000000003 RBP: 00005568ef41d796 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000003 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 0000000000000000 R13: 00005568ef7f7d30 R14: 0000000000040000 R15: 0000000000000000 </TASK> This change addresses the issue by skipping the gen pointer de-reference in the mentioned error-path. Found by code inspection and verified with explicit error injection on a kasan-enabled kernel.

HighCVSS 7.8 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Mar 27, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
EPSS
0.2% · 15th 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
total

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
—
CNA · Linux
7.8
NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

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

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

Follow CVE-2023-52999

When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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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 kernel4.19.264 and later · before 4.19.272
  • linux linux kernel5.4.223 and later · before 5.4.231
  • linux linux kernel5.10.153 and later · before 5.10.166
  • linux linux kernel5.15.77 and later · before 5.15.91
  • linux linux kernel6.1 and later · before 6.1.9
  • linux linux kernel6.1 and later · before 6.2
  • linux linux kernel6.0.7
  • linux linux kernel6.2

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

    • 4a4df5e78712de39d6f90d6a64b5eb48dca03bd5, 6.1affected
    • 5a2ea549be94924364f6911227d99be86e8cf34a and later · before ad0dfe9bcf0d78e699c7efb64c90ed062dc48beaaffected · git
    • 97ad240fd9aa9214497d14af2b91608e20856cac and later · before ddd49cbbd4c1ceb38032018b589b44208e54f55eaffected · git
    • c3edc6e808209aa705185f732e682a370981ced1 and later · before d4c008f3b7f7d4ffd311eb2dae5e75b3cbddacd0affected · git
    • a1e18acb0246bfb001b08b8b1b830b5ec92a0f13 and later · before 66689a72ba73575e76d4f6a8748d3fa2690ec1c4affected · git
    • d266935ac43d57586e311a087510fe6a084af742 and later · before 12075708f2e77ee6a9f8bb2cf512c38be3099794affected · git
    • d266935ac43d57586e311a087510fe6a084af742 and later · before 71ab9c3e2253619136c31c89dbb2c69305cc89b1affected · git
    • 4.19.264 and later · before 4.19.272affected · semver
    • 5.4.223 and later · before 5.4.231affected · semver
    • 5.10.153 and later · before 5.10.166affected · semver

Package-level exposure

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

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12linuxbefore 6.1.11-16.1.11-1

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-2023-52996Mar 27, 2025 · ipv4: prevent potential spectre v1 gadget in fib_metrics_match()
    22Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2023-52998Mar 27, 2025 · net: fec: Use page_pool_put_full_page when freeing rx buffers
    22Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2023-53000Mar 27, 2025 · netlink: prevent potential spectre v1 gadgets
    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 Linux12075708f2e77ee6a9f8bb2cf512c38be3099794Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux4.19.272Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux5.10.166Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux5.15.91Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux5.4.231Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux6.1Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux66689a72ba73575e76d4f6a8748d3fa2690ec1c4Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux71ab9c3e2253619136c31c89dbb2c69305cc89b1Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxad0dfe9bcf0d78e699c7efb64c90ed062dc48beaVendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxd4c008f3b7f7d4ffd311eb2dae5e75b3cbddacd0Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxddd49cbbd4c1ceb38032018b589b44208e54f55eVendor (CNA)
debian:linux6.1.11-1 · 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.

No nightly-computed relations.

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-416 · Use After Free

CVSS vector

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

nvd-secondary

Root cause

After a memory region is freed, another reference pointing to it is still used. By then, the same region may have been allocated for different data.

The bug in code

The whole CWE-416 class

A representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.

Vulnerable

c
free(dev->buf);/* ... another thread is still running ... */process(dev->buf);

Fixed

c
lock(&dev->lock);free(dev->buf);dev->buf = NULL;unlock(&dev->lock);

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 (5 more)

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

All records