CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2023-5178NVD status: Modified

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: Use After Free

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2023-5178 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 from Red Hat, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 9.62% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is in the top 4.44% of all scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update SIMATIC S7-1500 TM MFP - GNU/Linux subsystem to V1.1 or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 5.4.260 or 5.10.199 or 5.15.137 or 6.1.60, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  3. Read the advisory on lore.kernel.org for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Advanced Update SupportNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Telecommunications Update ServiceNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Update Services for SAP SolutionsNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update SupportNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Telecommunications Update ServiceNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Update Services for SAP SolutionsNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update SupportNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Extended Update SupportNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Extended Update SupportNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Extended Update SupportNot specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Virtualization 4 for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 6Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 7Not specified in the recordNot stated
SiemensRUGGEDCOM RST2428PNot specified in the recordNot stated
SiemensSCALANCE XC-300/XR-300/XC-400/XR-500WG/XR-500 familyNot specified in the recordNot stated
SiemensSCALANCE XCM-/XRM-/XCH-/XRH-300 familyNot specified in the recordNot stated
SiemensSIMATIC S7-1500 TM MFP - GNU/Linux subsystembefore V1.1V1.1
LinuxLinux Kernel5.0 up to, but not including, 5.4.260; 5.5 up to, but not including, 5.10.199; 5.11 up to, but not including, 5.15.137; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.60; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.5.95.4.260, 5.10.199, 5.15.137, 6.1.60, 6.5.9
Red HatEnterprise Linux8.0; 9.0Not stated
NetAppActive Iq Unified ManagerNot specified in the recordNot stated
NetAppSolidfire & Hci Management NodeNot specified in the recordNot stated
NetAppSolidfire & Hci Storage NodeNot specified in the recordNot stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.18.8HighCNA (redhat.com)
CVSS 3.18.8HighNVD

Official description

A use-after-free vulnerability was found in drivers/nvme/target/tcp.c` in `nvmet_tcp_free_crypto` due to a logical bug in the NVMe/TCP subsystem in the Linux kernel. This issue may allow a malicious user to cause a use-after-free and double-free problem, which may permit remote code execution or lead to local privilege escalation.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Use After Free

The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
  • When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.

More Use After Free vulnerabilities (CWE-416)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Third-party and government advisories

Other vulnerabilities in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8

All Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 vulnerabilities

Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities

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