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NVD / CVE Program· CNA Linux

CVE-2023-53556: iavf: Fix use-after-free in free_netdev

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: 0.15% (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 17046107ca15d7571551539d94e76aba2bf71fd3, 345c44e18cc10cded85cb9134830e1684495c866, 5f4fa1672d98fe99d2297b03add35346f1685d6b.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to Linux Linux 17046107ca15d7571551539d94e76aba2bf71fd3, 345c44e18cc10cded85cb9134830e1684495c866, 5f4fa1672d98fe99d2297b03add35346f1685d6b 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: iavf: Fix use-after-free in free_netdev We do netif_napi_add() for all allocated q_vectors[], but potentially do netif_napi_del() for part of them, then kfree q_vectors and leave invalid pointers at dev->napi_list. Reproducer: [root@host ~]# cat repro.sh #!/bin/bash pf_dbsf="0000:41:00.0" vf0_dbsf="0000:41:02.0" g_pids=() function do_set_numvf() { echo 2 >/sys/bus/pci/devices/${pf_dbsf}/sriov_numvfs sleep $((RANDOM%3+1)) echo 0 >/sys/bus/pci/devices/${pf_dbsf}/sriov_numvfs sleep $((RANDOM%3+1)) } function do_set_channel() { local nic=$(ls -1 --indicator-style=none /sys/bus/pci/devices/${vf0_dbsf}/net/) [ -z "$nic" ] && { sleep $((RANDOM%3)) ; return 1; } ifconfig $nic 192.168.18.5 netmask 255.255.255.0 ifconfig $nic up ethtool -L $nic combined 1 ethtool -L $nic combined 4 sleep $((RANDOM%3)) } function on_exit() { local pid for pid in "${g_pids[@]}"; do kill -0 "$pid" &>/dev/null && kill "$pid" &>/dev/null done g_pids=() } trap "on_exit; exit" EXIT while :; do do_set_numvf ; done & g_pids+=($!) while :; do do_set_channel ; done & g_pids+=($!) wait Result: [ 4093.900222] ================================================================== [ 4093.900230] BUG: KASAN: use-after-free in free_netdev+0x308/0x390 [ 4093.900232] Read of size 8 at addr ffff88b4dc145640 by task repro.sh/6699 [ 4093.900233] [ 4093.900236] CPU: 10 PID: 6699 Comm: repro.sh Kdump: loaded Tainted: G O --------- -t - 4.18.0 #1 [ 4093.900238] Hardware name: Powerleader PR2008AL/H12DSi-N6, BIOS 2.0 04/09/2021 [ 4093.900239] Call Trace: [ 4093.900244] dump_stack+0x71/0xab [ 4093.900249] print_address_description+0x6b/0x290 [ 4093.900251] ? free_netdev+0x308/0x390 [ 4093.900252] kasan_report+0x14a/0x2b0 [ 4093.900254] free_netdev+0x308/0x390 [ 4093.900261] iavf_remove+0x825/0xd20 [iavf] [ 4093.900265] pci_device_remove+0xa8/0x1f0 [ 4093.900268] device_release_driver_internal+0x1c6/0x460 [ 4093.900271] pci_stop_bus_device+0x101/0x150 [ 4093.900273] pci_stop_and_remove_bus_device+0xe/0x20 [ 4093.900275] pci_iov_remove_virtfn+0x187/0x420 [ 4093.900277] ? pci_iov_add_virtfn+0xe10/0xe10 [ 4093.900278] ? pci_get_subsys+0x90/0x90 [ 4093.900280] sriov_disable+0xed/0x3e0 [ 4093.900282] ? bus_find_device+0x12d/0x1a0 [ 4093.900290] i40e_free_vfs+0x754/0x1210 [i40e] [ 4093.900298] ? i40e_reset_all_vfs+0x880/0x880 [i40e] [ 4093.900299] ? pci_get_device+0x7c/0x90 [ 4093.900300] ? pci_get_subsys+0x90/0x90 [ 4093.900306] ? pci_vfs_assigned.part.7+0x144/0x210 [ 4093.900309] ? __mutex_lock_slowpath+0x10/0x10 [ 4093.900315] i40e_pci_sriov_configure+0x1fa/0x2e0 [i40e] [ 4093.900318] sriov_numvfs_store+0x214/0x290 [ 4093.900320] ? sriov_totalvfs_show+0x30/0x30 [ 4093.900321] ? __mutex_lock_slowpath+0x10/0x10 [ 4093.900323] ? __check_object_size+0x15a/0x350 [ 4093.900326] kernfs_fop_write+0x280/0x3f0 [ 4093.900329] vfs_write+0x145/0x440 [ 4093.900330] ksys_write+0xab/0x160 [ 4093.900332] ? __ia32_sys_read+0xb0/0xb0 [ 4093.900334] ? fput_many+0x1a/0x120 [ 4093.900335] ? filp_close+0xf0/0x130 [ 4093.900338] do_syscall_64+0xa0/0x370 [ 4093.900339] ? page_fault+0x8/0x30 [ 4093.900341] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x65/0xca [ 4093.900357] RIP: 0033:0x7f16ad4d22c0 [ 4093.900359] Code: 73 01 c3 48 8b 0d d8 cb 2c 00 f7 d8 64 89 01 48 83 c8 ff c3 66 0f 1f 44 00 00 83 3d 89 24 2d 00 00 75 10 b8 01 00 00 00 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 31 c3 48 83 ec 08 e8 fe dd 01 00 48 89 04 24 [ 4093.900360] RSP: 002b:00007ffd6491b7f8 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000001 [ 4093.900362] RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 0000000000000002 RCX: 00007f16ad4d22c0 [ 4093.900363] RDX: 0000000000000002 RSI: 0000000001a41408 RDI: 0000000000000001 [ 4093.900364] RBP: 0000000001a41408 R08: 00007f16ad7a1780 R09: 00007f16ae1f2700 [ 4093.9003 ---truncated---

HighCVSS 7.8 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available
Published
Oct 4, 2025
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
EPSS
0.1% · 4th 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 · 0.1%

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
7.8
CNA · Linux
7.8
agree

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

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  • 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 kernel3.14 and later · before 5.4.251
  • linux linux kernel5.5 and later · before 5.10.188
  • linux linux kernel5.11 and later · before 5.15.123
  • linux linux kernel5.16 and later · before 6.1.42
  • linux linux kernel6.2 and later · before 6.4.7
  • linux linux kernel6.5

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

    • 3.14affected
    • 5eae00c57f5e42bf201023471917da213c4946d6 and later · before 17046107ca15d7571551539d94e76aba2bf71fd3affected · git
    • 5eae00c57f5e42bf201023471917da213c4946d6 and later · before a4635f190f332304db4a49e827ece790b804b5dbaffected · git
    • 5eae00c57f5e42bf201023471917da213c4946d6 and later · before 345c44e18cc10cded85cb9134830e1684495c866affected · git
    • 5eae00c57f5e42bf201023471917da213c4946d6 and later · before ca12b98e04b5d1902ac08fe826d3500cb4b6e891affected · git
    • 5eae00c57f5e42bf201023471917da213c4946d6 and later · before 8d781a9c53034813c3194b7d94409c7d24ac73ebaffected · git
    • 5eae00c57f5e42bf201023471917da213c4946d6 and later · before 5f4fa1672d98fe99d2297b03add35346f1685d6baffected · git
    • before 3.14not affected · semver
    • 5.4.251 and later · up to and including 5.4.*not affected · semver
    • 5.10.188 and later · up to and including 5.10.*not affected · semver

Package-level exposure

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

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12linuxbefore 6.1.52-16.1.52-1
Debian:13linuxbefore 6.4.11-16.4.11-1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6dtb-aarch64before 6.4.0-150600.23.78.16.4.0-150600.23.78.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-64kbbefore 6.4.0-150600.23.78.16.4.0-150600.23.78.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-azurebefore 6.4.0-150600.8.55.16.4.0-150600.8.55.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-debugbefore 6.4.0-150600.23.78.16.4.0-150600.23.78.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-defaultbefore 6.4.0-150600.23.78.16.4.0-150600.23.78.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-default-basebefore 6.4.0-150600.23.78.1.150600.12.34.26.4.0-150600.23.78.1.150600.12.34.2
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-docsbefore 6.4.0-150600.23.78.16.4.0-150600.23.78.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-kvmsmallbefore 6.4.0-150600.23.78.16.4.0-150600.23.78.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-obs-buildbefore 6.4.0-150600.23.78.16.4.0-150600.23.78.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-obs-qabefore 6.4.0-150600.23.78.16.4.0-150600.23.78.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-rtbefore 6.4.0-150600.10.58.16.4.0-150600.10.58.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-rt_debugbefore 6.4.0-150600.10.58.16.4.0-150600.10.58.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-sourcebefore 6.4.0-150600.23.78.16.4.0-150600.23.78.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-source-azurebefore 6.4.0-150600.8.55.16.4.0-150600.8.55.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-source-rtbefore 6.4.0-150600.10.58.16.4.0-150600.10.58.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-symsbefore 6.4.0-150600.23.78.16.4.0-150600.23.78.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-syms-azurebefore 6.4.0-150600.8.55.16.4.0-150600.8.55.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-syms-rtbefore 6.4.0-150600.10.58.16.4.0-150600.10.58.1
openSUSE:Leap 15.6kernel-zfcpdumpbefore 6.4.0-150600.23.78.16.4.0-150600.23.78.1
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreambpftool-debuginfobefore 0:7.0.0-284.30.1.el9_20:7.0.0-284.30.1.el9_2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-64k-debug-debuginfobefore 0:5.14.0-284.30.1.el9_20:5.14.0-284.30.1.el9_2
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamkernel-64k-debug-develbefore 0:5.14.0-284.30.1.el9_20:5.14.0-284.30.1.el9_2

+96

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-2023-53554Oct 4, 2025 · staging: ks7010: potential buffer overflow in ks_wlan_set_encode_ext()
    31Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2023-53555Oct 4, 2025 · mm/damon/core: initialize damo_filter->list from damos_new_filter()
    22Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2023-53558Oct 4, 2025 · rcu-tasks: Avoid pr_info() with spin lock in cblist_init_generic()
    22Monitor

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 Linux17046107ca15d7571551539d94e76aba2bf71fd3Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux345c44e18cc10cded85cb9134830e1684495c866Vendor (CNA)
Linux Linux5f4fa1672d98fe99d2297b03add35346f1685d6bVendor (CNA)
Linux Linux8d781a9c53034813c3194b7d94409c7d24ac73ebVendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxa4635f190f332304db4a49e827ece790b804b5dbVendor (CNA)
Linux Linuxca12b98e04b5d1902ac08fe826d3500cb4b6e891Vendor (CNA)
debian:linux6.1.52-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:dtb-aarch646.4.0-150600.23.78.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.6Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-64kb6.4.0-150600.23.78.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.6Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-azure6.4.0-150600.8.55.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.6Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-debug6.4.0-150600.23.78.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.6Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-default6.4.0-150600.23.78.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.6Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-default-base6.4.0-150600.23.78.1.150600.12.34.2 · openSUSE:Leap 15.6Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-docs6.4.0-150600.23.78.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.6Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-kvmsmall6.4.0-150600.23.78.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.6Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-obs-build6.4.0-150600.23.78.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.6Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-obs-qa6.4.0-150600.23.78.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.6Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-source-azure6.4.0-150600.8.55.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.6Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-syms-azure6.4.0-150600.8.55.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.6Package registry (OSV)
red hat:bpftool-debuginfo0:7.0.0-284.30.1.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-debug-debuginfo0:5.14.0-284.30.1.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-debug-devel0:5.14.0-284.30.1.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-debug-devel-matched0:5.14.0-284.30.1.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-debuginfo0:5.14.0-284.30.1.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-devel0:5.14.0-284.30.1.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-64k-devel-matched0:5.14.0-284.30.1.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-debug-debuginfo0:5.14.0-284.30.1.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-debug-devel0:5.14.0-284.30.1.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-debug-devel-matched0:5.14.0-284.30.1.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:kernel-debuginfo0:5.14.0-284.30.1.el9_2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)

+16

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.

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-primary

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.

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

All records